I am IRON MAN
by ImaginationsUnleashed
Summary: How would it be if Tony had a sister? Find out in the story, the life of Tony Stark and his sister Rayne Stark. The story will contains information from both the movie and the comic series and of course, my own additions. I am really bad in summaries so better read. Rated T for safety.
1. Chapter 1

**I AM IRON MAN**

Hey every one!

This is my first fanfiction,so please be kind with me. I tried out something and decided to publish it. Suggestions and criticisms are welcomed. Enjoy!

 **Summary:** How would life be for Tony if he had a little sister? How would she be? Find out the story of Tony Stark and his sister Rayne Stark. Err, i am really bad with summaries. Just read to find out!

 **Chapter 1**

 **Rayne's POV**

"Rayne! Rayne! Follow me. Come on . I'll show you your way. I exactly know where you need to go." Said a voice as i was walking in the impenetrable woods and i followed the voice. The voice was so familiar but i don't remember whose. I tried so hard to remember but no use. "Rayne, we don't have much time. Come on! Hurry up!" said th every familiar voice. "Who are you?" i asked but no answer came.Instead it simply said , "just follow me!" I was taken to an abandoned villa and something drew me inside that huge villa. I was horrified by the sight in front of me. Blood all around. It was really freaking. Then i saw a lady standing in the middle of the room with her back towards me. "Excuse me?" i said in a questioning toneas she turned towards me and i gasped. "Aaaaah!" i screamed as my eyes shut open and i realised that i was still in my bedroom.

I was so scared that my night shirt was soaked in sweat though the AC was switched on. "Ray!" I heard my brother call out and then i heard the footsteps come up the stairs and stop in front of my door as the door opened revealing Tony, my older brother. " Ray, what's the matter?" he asked concern clear in his voice as i tried to calm yself but failed everytime. " Another nightmare ?" he asked as i nodded in response. He walked across my room and sat beside me on my bed as he wrapped his protective arms around me. "What did you see again?" he asked and i rested my head on his chest a bit calm than before.

Today was heights. Why would mom wait for me in that villa that to covered in blood and scars. It was scary , scarier than most of my dreams that i had been having ever since mom and dad.

"Mom?" tony asked and tried to console me. " Ray they are just nightmares. Nothong in t=it can be true!" " I know but they..." I paused " they just freak the hell out of me!" i said.

Tony knew how it was. After every nightmare i would hardly fall asleep. So he decided that it was better to keep my mind off it. " Wanna join me in the garage?" he asked and by now i was back to myself. Of all the things we do together hanging out in the garage cum workshop of 3:00 it read. I sighed.

Tony is the best brother in the world. Of course the world knows him as the arrogant, billionaire, playboy, and the CEO of the weapons manufacturing company Stark Industries, but very few people know the actual Antony Stark that i know so well.

"So what are you working on?" i asked as i reached the workspace . " My baby!" Tony smirked "Shes not well and i need your help to fix her" he said gesturing to the broken car that he was remodelling. Well am the sister od Tony Stark and the second child to Howard Stark. How can i stay quiet on a comment like this? " So whose the mother of your 'baby'?" i asked grinning as Tony rolled his eyes.

 **Well that's for the first chapter. I know, it does not clearly depict the main theme of the story, but come on its just the first chapter and we have a long way to go. Next chapter will have Pepper and will highlight the Tony-Ray relationship. Till then, bye!**

 **And reviews will be appreciated.**

 **ImaginationsUnleashed.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Hey everyone! I am back again with yet another chapter of the story.**

 **Thank you for following me and my story it means a lot.**

 **I last time forgot to do this-**

 **I own nothing but Rayne. Though i wish i did.**

 **Chapter 2**

 **Tony's POV**

God ! i don't kow what to do.I mean Ray i had been really worried about her lately. She nowadays is hardly sleeping because of her dreams about mom and dad. I really don't want her to stay like that. Every nights she just skips sleeping because of these nightmares and that is really bar for her health.

I switched on the music. It really seens to work for us everytime, i mean it helps both of us work efficiently. Maybe it is just in our Stark DNA . "Hey Ray!" i called her " Ummhmm?" he said lost in examining

"what are you examining?"

"Everything" still lost and then suddenly coming back to reality " Tony!"

" What?"

" I think we should add nitro boost to the car. I want it flying !"

"Add up the modifications if you want and we can work on it."

We kept on working for i don't know how long untill we our concentration was broken by the music turning off. I looked wit the corner of my eye to see my PA Pepper Potts coming in through the glass door. " Please don't turn off the music ." i said but she chose to ignore it and started speaking of her own business. "You are suppose to be half way around the globe right now" she said bossily. " Please don't tell me what i am supposed to do."

"Hey Pepper!" greeted Ray "Wassup?"

" Nothing as such ma'am, just my regular work schedule" she replied

"God Pepper! Please don't be so formal with me. I am not your boss, he is" said Ray gesturing to me as Pepper made a mental note of what she said.

"Ray i'll have to go for a weapons demonstrations i Afganistan today and as you see here does wsant me to work here any more. I'll have to obey her orders." I smirked looking at Pepper who was glaring at me. " When are you going to return?" asked Ray. She hated being alone at home with just video games and TV as pastime. " Three days at the most." I assured the 14 year old thet she wouldn't be left alone for long. "And now you should get ready for your school." I told her as she nodded and made her way upstairs to her room.

 **Ray's POV**

After dressing up for schooli got down to find that Tony was ready too. "will you miss me?" he asked jokingly. I made a clicking sound with my tongue. " Of course not. I have so much to do" sarcasm clear in my voice as i gave him a hug and he returned it."Yeah! Bye!"he said. "Burst them up!" I exclaimed.

Happy drove me to school and Tony made his way to the airport where Rhodey was waiting for him in our private jet.(A/N: I am not going to write the scenes of the jet where Tony meets Rhodey because you all know it and i think it to be boring if you have to read stuff that that you know.)

 **TIME JUMP**

Classes went on quite smoothly. It was Maths, Chemistry, Computer classes, most of whish i already know. I got an A in 's Chemistry test that is no big deal for me.

Then there was lunch break. I took out my phone from the locker to check it going to the cafeteria where my friends were waiting for me. '3 messages', read my phone. All sent by Tony.

"Reached Afgan...Woah! It quite hot here. Had i known about it, I would have surely carried an AC!" was the 1st text.

"Well its evening a flip of time. Some guy whom Rhodey considers important called me to a party and we are going there. Wish somethin' fun happens there!" was the 2nd.

" Boring party!:-( Nothin' fun. These guys don't even know how an actual aprty looks like. I'll surely call this guy in a party of our house one day and show him how a Stark Party is!" said the 3rd.

Sitting on my table, i greeted my friends "Hey guys!". "Hey Rayne!" they greeted back and then i went back to my phone to answer Tony's texts.

"Afganistan is a desert. I don't find a reason why you didn't expect it to be hot there!", i wrote.

"Aren't you supposed to be in school?"

"Yeah, its lunch break."

"Ooh!"

"So looks like you love the party"( Sarcasm)

"This in no way looks like at the pic i'll send you."

Tony sent me a pic of him with an Afghan guy. "That is the organiser the party. I forgot his name so do not ask!

Look at the boring decoration. No disco light, no nice music, absolutely nothing! Only a few flowers for decoration and an orchestra playing something that cannot be considered music at all. Boring!"

" Haha! Tony take a breath!"

" Yeah, i'm going back to he hotel. Already 8 here. Rhodey wants me to go to sleep cause we got the demos tomorrow early morning and he doesn't want me to be late. Though i doubt if i can sleep that early. "

" You had been awake all night working on your 'baby' with barely any sleep. I think its goo if you get some sleep early."

"Yeah i guess so."

"Hey! Got to go. Talk to later. Bye!"

" Take care kiddo. Bye!"

"So who were you talking to?" asked Cate. "Tony... He's in some boring party." "Ooh." She said.

The rest of the day went quite normal, chtting with friends, attending classes, meeting Pepper and spending some time with her. It was so normal that you wouldn't even expect anything to go wrong. Why would it be?

 **That's it. Chapter** 2\. **I know it is a bit boring. But i had to add this part. The next chapter is going to be action as most of you must have guessed.**

 **Another thing. I have exams starting from Monday. 7 subjects is a headache + practicals to take care of. But i will try my best to update tomorrow and then maybe next week.**

 **Thank you for following. And please review cause it means a lot and it would also help me improve my writing skills.**

 **Bye till then!**

 **Imaginations Unlimited**


	3. Chapter 3

**Hey guys! This is chapter 3 for you.**

 **Chapter 3**

I spent the rest of the day spending time with Pepper. Truely, she had been with us for so long that today she is no less than a family and after Tony, if there is anyone with whom I like to spend time with, it is her.

We watched movies together that afternoon. I gave her choice between action and romantic fluffand she chose the second one, so I played the movie that I have seen so many times before, 'Fault In Our Stars'. Pepper was crying by the end of the movie. Well it's really sad but I never really cried after a movie.

Later, we had lunch. I wanted to call Tony, he would have been asleep then so I didn't disturb him. Rather, I sat with Pepper eating my food and chatting with her. She would patiently listen to me and give me answers when she found it necessary.

At dinner time, when Pepper had returned from Stark Industries after completing some work that had been pending, we sat together eating Chinese that she bought on the way.

"Hey, you look really tired!" I said

"Yeah, with your brother away I have to make a thousands of calls and answer another thousand of them and being his P.A. I cannot even show my annoyance. Every time they call I have to say the same thing, 'Sir/Ma'am, I m sorry to inform you that Mr. Stark is away on a business trip, wouldn't be back before 3 days. Sorry for your inconvenience.' Give me a break." She said really annoyed. "Why don't you ask Tony for a leave for a week? Go out. Relax. And then come back fresh to work." "Your brother would give me a break but would end up taunting me in every possible time for it!" She said. I couldn't help but giggle. Just then I received Tony's message.

"Good morning!"He wrote.

"Good night!" I replied.

"?"

"Its night here, Tony and we are almost half way our dinner."

"Ooh yeah! Almost forgot. BTW its 4:35 here right now."

"Up early?"

"Yeah, I'll be out by 5:30 for the demos. So, what are you having for dinner today?"

"Hakka. You?"

"Beef. It's really tasty but probably a heavy start."

"Year, but one day wouldn't matter right? And, BTW, Pepper needs a leave when you return. She is really tired." And I turned my attention towards Pepper. "Pep, I told Tony about your leave." "Ooh God! I know the reply!"She faked a panicked voice.

"Really? She is lazy, after all she hardly does any stressful work" wrote Tony. I showed the text to Pepper. "See? I told you!" she said annoyed.

"She is not with your comment!"

"Hmm... I can imagine her face! And, you are not bored, are you?"

"No, our P.A. is an amazing lady. She keeps me indulged."

"I know she is amazing." I wasn't ready for this kind of a reply

"Really?"

"Not in that way stupid!"

And we actually did chat for a very long time. "Tony it's late I'm going to bed." I wrote.

"Yeah, your right. And we would be out anytime."

"Good night"

" Good night,kiddo. Love you."

I was walking on a road. It was really dark and it gave me goosebumps. I tried hard to see through the impenetrable darkness and saw a house on top of a cliff. I don't know why, the place seemed so familiar, but I couldn't remember where I was. The house was also so familiar. It drew my legs automatically towards it. The house was big but broken down. I naturally followed my instincts to go into a room. The same familiarity greeted me. I tried so hard to remember but I was in vain... I browsed through the room before my eyes rested o a huge photo frame above the bed. I was so dusty that the picture was not visible. I wiped the cracked glasses of the photo frame. I was too shocked. It was the picture of me and Tony. Tony was holding me from the back and we were laughing gaily, as is we had no difficulties in life. It was then that it came crushing over me. I was standing in my room, in Stark Mansion. I was at HOME! Panic struck me. I looked down to my hand with which I had wiped the frame. It was bloody. I turned around to see a strange figure standing, pointing its figure towards me and slowly approaching me. "Aaaah!"

I was woken up again by my nightmare. Everything seemed so slow. I glanced at my room. It was not broken. And I turned towards at the wall where the photo hung. Thank god! It was not cracked, not bloody. 'Ray, just a dream, just a dream!' I tried to calm myself but failed and kept on breathing heavily. My dream looked so real. I could still feel the chill down my the dream kept on replaying in my head.

Suddenly I was startled by the sound of my phone ringing. "Hello?"I picked up the phone.

"Ray, are you asleep? Sorry if I disturbed you. I know that it's quite late there."

"TONY! No no no not at all. You didn't disturb. I'm thankful that you called." I was still taking deep breaths. I clutched my pillow and sat up.

"Ray, you alright?" concern clear in his voice

"No... I mean...yeah... I was just..." I stumbled what to say.

"Nightmare?" he asked, worried.

"Hmm..." I almost whispered.

"Munchkin, what did you see?" and I told him everything now catching a little bit of breath, calming a bit.

"Honey, it's okay. Calm down okay? Try and think about something else. It will help, sure!"

"What are you doing?" I tried to forget about the dream.

"Just left from the demonstrations. I'll have to attend a seminar tomorrow and then I'll be home."

"You know what. It's kinda different without you here."

"Hmm"

"Moreover, my rooms is a bit ... umm ...freaky. I don't feel right, even Pepper's gone home. I umm... just don't want to be ... alone."

"I'm sorry Ray..." Sad tone

"Why are you sorry?"

"I know you like someone near you when you wake up from a nightmare. But I'm not there"

"Hey you can't stay with me all the time!"

"Yak but still..."

"It's okay, come on!"

"Okay, now get some sleep. You wouldn't want to scare Pepper when you wake up due to your dark circles, right?"

" Hehe, yeah!"

"Love you, sleep tight"

"Good night!" I hung up. I was already feeling better. I don't know how or why, I always felt better with Tony. Maybe because he is my brother and I believe him a lot. But his assurance acts like magic to me. Like nothing can happen when he is there for me...

 **There ends chapter 3. I know I had been promising action but I could do nothing about it. These parts are really important. Without these you wouldn't understand the Tony-Ray bond.**

 **Another thing, you may find the story to have same proceedings as the movies. But don't worry. I'll add extras in between the chapters and make up a new plot where my story will actually end. I have got a very good idea right now.**

 **Also as I told you, my exams have started, so I don't guarantee timely updates but ones it end, I will update regularly without failing because honestly, I like writing this stuff.**

 **Bye till then... Take care and review cause it means a lot and I haven't got any yet. Please tell me how you feel about the story, even if you find flaws tell me so that I can rectify them.**

 **ImaginationsUnlimited.**


	4. Chapter 4

**Hey again! Ones again I am back with the next chapter of 'I am IRON MAN'. Enjoy reading.**

 **I own nothing but Ray. If I did, I would have owned at least one of the cars that Tony owns.**

 **Chapter 4.**

 **Rayne's POV.**

Next morning I got up quite early than usual though Pepper had already arrived. "Up early?" said Pepper. "Yeah, morning!" I greeted still a bit sleepy as I made my way to the dining table waiting for food that came at time. I sat there playing with my food when as Pepper started speaking about her day's schedule. Normally, I am the one who speaks the most, but this was the only time of the day when I stay quiet.

"We have an incoming call from Colonel Rhodes." Said Jarvis. "Put him through." I told the AI. "Hello?" said the known voice of the colonel.

"Hey, Rhodey!" I greeted.

"Hey Rayne... Hii... Is Pepper there?"

"Hey Rhodey!" greeted a merry Pepper.

"Pepper, there is a condition...umm... you see...ahh.." he stumbled.

"What's it?" Said Pepper.

"Pepper, ah you see as we were returning from the demos we were attacked." I felt my heart racing. "Actually..." he struggled.

"Spit it out!" I snapped.

"Tony... he was at the middle of the attack, I... i saw him run out and then there was a blast...We can't locate him now." He finally said.

"What?" Pepper said in disbelief while I tried to register what he had just said.

"We have sent a search party. We will find him no matter what or how long it takes, trust me!" he assured.

"Keep us updated Rhodey." Pepper said as he hung up.

"Ray?" Pepper called concerned. I felt numb. 'How could this be happening?' was the only question running in my head. "Ray honey..." "Tell Happy that I'm not going to school." I cut her off her speech and before she could react I was off my seat and dashed into my room, slamming shut my door jumping on my bed. I felt hot tears streaming down my face. "Ray?" Pepper entered my room. "Leave me alone."I told her. "Listen, Ray, I just wanna say that..." "Pepper please just leave me alone. I'll be fine." I told her. She obeyed maybe understanding that I hate my privacy being invaded.

 **Tony's POV**

Everything happened so fast. I could hardly register it in my brain. Moments after I hung up Ray's phone the car in front of me blasted. I remember the army man beside me get out of the car telling me to stay in while I asked him to give me a gun but he hardly paid attention. I got out of the car and rushed to take shelter behind a rock. I quickly took out my Stark phone to send an SOS message but before I could do that, a missile came and landed just beside me. I only noticed the label 'Stark Industries' on it and tried to get away but too late. I was thrown away by the bomb blasting. I felt a striking pain on my chest and as I looked I saw blood staining my white shirt. I ripped open the buttons to find that the bomb particle had pierced through my bullet proof jacket. And in I blacked out.

Next all I remember was an unbearable pain, people around me, operating me(, maybe). I struggled. But hardly could do anything.

 **Rayne's POV**

It was around noon when I came down. I hadn't kept any track of time. "Any updates?" I asked plainly to Pepper who was probably very busy making thousands of calls. She only gave me a sad smile. The TV was on. "BREAKING NEWS!" it showed. "Tony Stark, the COE of Stark Industries went missing today at around 3:00 in the morning while he was away on a weapons demonstration in Afghanistan. Colonel Rhodes, has been given the responsibility to find him but even 11 hours after his disappearance, there is no sign of him. The US military refused to share any other information...blah blah" she said. I switched the TV off. I hated TV reports, especially in this case. Just then we were greeted by Obadiah Stane. My father's friend and colleague.

"Hey you there, Ray." He said in his fatherly tone that I didn't like. I hated sympathy. I responded with a nod. "Rayne, I'm sorry this is happening. I know this is hard for you it's hard for all of us. We love your brother. I know how you feel, okay?" he said.

"So what can I do?" I said coldly.

"Listen Ray, right now you are in shock, you are sad. I know."

"I'm not in shock!" I snapped

He sighed before he spoke. "I know Ray. But you have to understand. After Tony, I'm your guardian, I've got responsibility."

"After Tony? Obadiah Tony is just not home. You don't need to take any responsibility." I told him. I was probably reacting to my present condition. I wasn't even sure what I was talking. He sighed again and got up to go to Pepper to talk. "How's she doing?" he whispered to her as they made their way into the kitchen. I don't understand when they would understand. I could hear every damn thing they were saying. "She is reacting Obadiah. Give her some time. She's just a kid who has known nothing but her brother ever since. I'm here. I'll take care of her till Tony comes back."

"That's the problem Pepper. I had a meeting with the higher officials of the army. They are doin' their best but they said that according to their experience, there is hardly any chance of getting him back alive."

"We aren't losing hope, are we?"

"No Pepper. We are trying our best, we still have time, but there are very narrow chances..."

"Hmm... She's gonna freak out if she hears it. Moreover, she wouldn't share anything. She likes keeping things to herself."

"Yeah, but that's what is worrying me. The board members have called a meeting today. I've already got a hint that they want to take a decision in case the worst happens. Ray may take Tony's place in the company."

"Nut what's the hurry? It's just 11 hours."

"I don't know Pepper."

Next Happy came in. He gave me a sad look and then approached Pepper and Obadiah I the kitchen. "I'm here to take you for the board meeting." He said. "Yes happy." Said Pepper as she approached me. "Ray, I've got to go to the industries. It's important but I don't wanna leave you..."

"Don't worry, I'll be fine." I told her but she didn't seem to be assured. "Pepper really. I can take care of myself you don't need to stay around me like that." She nodded "But you'll call me in case you need without failing, is that alright?" She said as I nodded and she left for work.

Finding nothing else to do I took out my phone. '33 missed calls' it read, mostly from my friends and a few messages.

"Ray, I'm sorrier than I can express. I saw the news. We are worried about you. Call any time you want if you need." Said Edmund.

"Ray, I heard about you brother. I'm so sorry 'bout what happened. All me if you need." Wrote Lizzy

My phone rang. It was Aunt Peggy, my dad's friend during the war. "Hello?"I picked up the phone.

"Rayne, honey. Are you okay?"Said the old lady

"Yeah, what can happen to me?" I said plainly

"I know it is hard. But you have to be strong."

"I know... I'm trying"

"I know you're strong, baby..." and she kept on saying her consoling words and all I could do was listen before I made an excuse that Pepper was calling me and I hung up.

 **Tony's POV**

I opened my eyes only to close them ones again due to the bright light falling on my face. I tried to open my eyes slowly, adjusting my vision. I was lying down on an examination table, wires attached to me. I pulled out the wire inserted in my nose and then opened the ones on my hand. Just when I was about to pull out the wire on my chest I heard a voice. "I wouldn't do that if I was in your place." Said a man shaving in the very same room I was in, well actually a cave. I was confused. I pulled and tore the bandages around my chest to find a round object half inserted in my chest.

"What did you do to me?" I asked. "I saved your life." He said. This guy explained me what all happened. In short. Due to the bomb blast, pieces of shrapnel were plugged in my heart. He operated them and this machine, which technically was an electromagnet powered by a car battery was stopping the shrapnel from getting into my heart.

Then a few people came in, who of course were terrorists. They spoke to me in Hindi that the guy translated to me. The fact was that, they wanted me to make the jerko missile for them which of course I refused to make and they ended up torturing me to make me do so. I did agree, but I couldn't make it. It would cause destruction and i couldn't let that happen.

The most shocking fact was that these people were supplied with my weapons. Every weapon they had only one label, 'Stark Industries'. It kinda shocked me. How could this have happened without me noticing it? The weapons I had been designing to save humanity were destroying them. IS isn't what I want.

 **Rayne's POV**

I made my way to the garage and sat on Tony's desk, looking at Tony's 'baby' that we were working on just last day. 'Tony's coming back and we are going to work on it.' I consoled myself. I looked around. Tony's desk was a mess, tools lying out of their place, papers and blueprints lying all around. The only things kept in its place were two photos on his table. One was our family picture and the other was Tony and me. I sighed. Why was this happening? Why us? All these questions made no sense, but they kept on popping in my head.

"Where are you, Tony?" I said out loud. "Come back..." I sat there staring at the two photo frames thinking about better times.

 **Whoa! Longest chapter I wrote. It continued for about 5 pages. Sorry, I know there were many shifts of POVs in the chapter but I couldn't help it. And I didn't write Tony's encounter in detail because most of you probably know it. If you have any confusion tell me and I'll answer them in the beginning of the story.**

 **I'll probably update next on Saturday or Sunday because of exams as I already said. Bye till then and please review. I wanna know how you feel about the story.**

 **ImaginationsUnleashed.**


	5. Chapter 5

**I am soooooooo sorry. I know I said that I should have updated a long time back but exams are just getting me mad. I just can't make out time for writing.**

 **Anyways, here's chapter 5.. Enjoy!**

 **Chapter 5**

 **Normal POV**

"Miss Rayne." called the mechanical butler's voice. "Colonel Rhodes is at the door, he expects to see you."

"Why?" asked Ray not understanding what had bought him to her."Send him in." Just after a few minutes the sound of boots were heard down the stairs and Rhodey entered the garage cum workshop that Ray and Tony used to share. "Access verified. Welcome Colonel!" said the AI as Rhodey walked in. Ray sat with her back towards him. It was hard for her to face him, the man who encountered her brother's kidnapping, the one who was given the responsibility of his safety. _Calm it Ray... Calm down, do NOT burst on him..._ she mentally told herself but she still avoided eye contact.

"Hey Rayne, umm... can we talk?"

"Umm hum..." she said fidgeting with some device Tony was working on before he had left to avoid looking at him.

Rhodey must have understood that she was trying to ignore him, but he had to talk. "I know you are upset, but it's important." He said. At this Ray looked up at him, trying really hard not to cry. _Hold it Rayne, you can't cry. Atleast not in front of him..._ she mentally fought. "Tell me" she said trying to look as if she was fine. Had Rhodes not been a close family friend, he wouldn't have noticed the slight shake in her voice that she hid perfectly. He couldn't ignore the fact that she was so much the younger version of his close friend who was right now missing somewhere in Afghan.

"Ray Tony had been talking on his phone just before the incident." Said Rhodey as Ray nodded knowing about it. "It was you. So I want you to put some pressure on your brain and remember, did you hear anything unusual. Maybe he said something or anything as such." At this Ray sat up straight. She took her time remembering every word of their conversation but no use. "No nothing." She said sadly. Rhodey sighed. "Ray, I'm sorry for what happened. I don't know what to say. I can only promise, we'll find him by any means, no matter how long it takes." He managed to say. It was hard for him to face the fourteen year old. Not only had he encountered her brother's kidnapping and blames himself for it but he really found it hard to stand the confidence she bore while she spoke. She was really strong. "Of course... I don't doubt you. But... I just... hate being alone. That it!" she couldn't understand what to say.

LATER THAT DAY...

Ray had spent almost the whole day in the workspace doing nothing but thinking. She wanted to believe that her brother was fine. Well almost everyone whom she talked to had assured her it. But she wasn't a fool. She didn't want to sound negative but she knew that how dangerous these terrorists could be. Kidnapping Tony meant they wanted him to make weapons for destruction and as far as she knew her brother, he would never do that. Tony was proud, too proud of himself. His pride was because he believed that his creations were used for the peace and security of humanity and she knew that he would never let go of that pride. In such case, it was hard to make out of a terrorist camp. That's when she heard screaming coming from the living room. This kind of shocked her. _Looks like Peps is back._ She thought to herself. _But she normally she's a soft spoken person the why was she screaming?_

"Listen Pepper I know you are worried but we have to do this. It's important! Unlike you, I've got responsibility to take care of!" she could easily distinguish Stane's voice as went up the stair case.

"I don't think we should bother her with all this company's stupidity. Can't this wait?"

"Pepper you..." Stane was about to speak but was cut mid sentence by Ray. "Bother me with what?" she asked. "Ray on right time!" exclaimed Obadiah. "No Ray, you don't need to worry about all this." Pepper cut in but Obadiah continued. "Ray, I had a meeting with the board members of the Industries today. They need to come up with a solution. Since your brother is gone... away someone needs to needs to act in place of him. Since after him you are the next to the Stark throne this decision is upto you." Ray nodded understanding. "I know it's hard for you but right now you have to be strong. When your mom and dad died tour brother had been strong enough to think practically and make me his mentor and you are standing in the same place today." He said not even thinking about his selection of his words. Ray flinched. _My brother is not dead._ She thought. "You are right. I have to be responsible." She said making Obie thank god for her smartness. "You don't need to worry, Obie. I have thought about it actually and I think the one who should take decisions right now should be the one who knows about all his work and schedule. I choose Pepper as my mentor in such a case." She said making her way to the sofa and sitting with the thud. Pepper had her eyes wide. She surely didn't see his coming. "What?" said Obadiah in shock. She had expected her to take the same decision that her brother had taken long back but she was smarter than he had thought her to be. She surely must have sensed something. "Yes," she said sounding confident, much like Tony when he had decided on something "and I expect that you respect my decision." She added. Obadiah had a strange look on his face, as if he was trying to hide some emotion. "If I have to convey this decision to the board myself, then I will." "Sure." Said Stane in short as he made his was out of the house without any more words.

"Ray are you sure?" asked Pepper as she Obadiah had gone out. She couldn't see Ray as she was crouching down on the sofa. "Yes." Came a faint whisper. "I think you are the best choice." She said in a firmer voice. Pepper walked up to her. She was shocked that she had the guts to speak against Obadiah like that and that she could overpower the older person so easily, showing him that she was the boss no matter what. But when she came face to face her heart broke. The teenager had tears flowing down her cheeks. Ray is smart, much like her brother capable of taking her decisions but still inside her lived a kid who had to be taken care of. She may be many things but first of all she was Tony's baby sister. Pepper had known the Stark siblings for long. Not as long as Obadiah but still she seemed to understand them better. "Ray honey!" she said giving her a warm hug which she did return but she didn't say a word. At that Pepper couldn't help but admire the teen.

 **AFGHANISTAN**

Tony Stark, the hero, the mascot of America had been asking himself the same question on and on. _Is this my legacy?_ The weapons that he had created for the peace and security of humanity was responsible for its destruction. He couldn't believe that how many lives his weapons may have taken, how many families he may have destroyed, so many people hate him for what he had done. But every time he thought about this, one thing came into his head. He never approved this export of weapons then who did.

Tony had created a mini arc reactor that he used on his chest instead of the car battery. It can pump his heart for 50 life times but he had another idea, an escape plan.

A suit actually, that will be power by the ark reactor on his chest. And that's what he'd be making. He would never make the jerko missile for them. Not never! He needs to make things right and its responsibility.

 **So that's chappie 5. I know its kinda short but I just thought that its a good place to stop. I'll try writing longer chapters.**

 **There's another thing I want you guys to know. You may be thinking that I have just been putting the same story as the movie with just the addition of Ray. Don't worry. I'll add up other plots and fun fluff. But in the here its nothing I can add. I wanna use this part as Ray's character development. Hope you guys stick with me.**

 **Oh yes, thanks for following me. It really means a lot. And please review.**

 **ImagnationsUnleasehed**


	6. Chapter 6

**Guyz, I'm back with another chappie... Here's chapter 6 for you all. Enjoy!**

 **Chapter 6**

 **AFGHANISTAN**

It had been three months of Tony's captivity, the worst three months of his life. He had to work in a very very uncomfortable place, which was in no comparison to his workspace at home. Home, he had been away from home several times before but he hadn't felt so homesick before. All he wanted was to go back home. The welcoming atmosphere at home, with known people to talk to. Here all he had was Yeinsen as his only companion to talk to. They would sometimes talk about his family at home, his wife and his 7 year old daughter. He looked really dazed when he talked about them. Well he was here longer than Tony was. Surely he missed them like hell.

"So, who do you have as a family?" he had asked him one day when they were working together on the suit Tony was creating.

"I have Ray." Said remembering the teenager back at home, the girl whom he missed so much and was really worried about. He knew that she would not be taking things lightly at all. She would never share her problems with anyone else. And moreover they had the press who must have been loitering around and that obviously never helped. _Hope you are fine, Ray._ He mentally said.

"So you are a rich man with so less to treasure...", Yeinsen had said to which he didn't respond.

Today he really was not in the right form. He felt lost in his thoughts. The reason was that it was Rayne's birthday in two days. He remembered last time when he had been away on Rayne's birthday which was only for a two hour meeting. The 10 year old had been too angry to talk to him.

FLASHBACK

"Ray, honey open the door." Said Tony in his loving tone that Ray was so used to.

"No, you go away and spend time with those employees of yours. It seems like that you love them a lot!" snapped Ray angrily at her older brother.

"I'm sorry Ray. I know you are angry I understand. Would you please open the door?" Tony said. Apparently the ten year old had managed to hack into the AI system running the house that was created and got her door locked which Tony would have opened easily if he had the access to the AI. "Ray open. I owe you an apology." He paused and then in a childish tone that Ray uses to convince him he said, "Plllleeeeeaaaseeee!". This seemed to work and Ray opened the door, looking angry and having puffy eyes. That made his heart break. Raising the kid up alone had bought him become too close. He hated to see her cry. "Awe munchkin, did I make you cry?" he said picking her up in his arms. "Don't you dare 'Munchkin' me!" said the little girl who by now had overcome her anger a bit. No wonder she was angry. Tony understood it quite well. She had no one at home other than her nanny to talk to. He knew that on every such occasion she wanted his company. "I promise I won't miss your birthday, ever."

END OF FLASHBACK

Tony sighed. He knew Ray wouldn't be angry with him the way she was last time. It is different this time but he knew that she would be a hell lot upset, even he was

 **CALIFORNIA**

 _Can't believe it has already been three months._ Thought Ray as she made her way to her school. She resumed school not because she was worried about studies but because she wanted to assure Pepper that she was fine. The fact that was disturbing her was that the lack of Tony wasn't affecting her the way it did at the beginning. She was getting 'used to it' and it was really bad.

As she walked down the gravelled walk of the school she noticed a reporter and a camera man approaching her. _Shit! Last person I want to see._ She thought recognising the reporter as Catherine Everheart, the reporter who was also one of Tony's one night stands.

"Miss Stark, wait up. We need to talk." She called

"Sorry I'm getting late." She tried to ignore her

"I'm Catherine Everheart from American Hour."

"I don't care."

"Your brother Antony Stark had been away for 3 months now. You want to share your feelings?"

"No."

"Please tell us if you are depressed or not"

 _Stupid!_ She thought "Is that a question you ask someone whose brother is missing for three years?"

"No, I just meant that people are saying that there are hardly any chances of his returning. Maybe the government will declare him dead in a few days."

At this all Ray wanted was to slay her. "I don't care about what the people say. It's not them who are finding him."

"And you are turning 14 in two days. In such a case you would become the heir to Stark Industries as there is no one else. It is a great achievement. Are you excited?"

Now ray felt her temper rise. She had been holding it back from a long time but this was really annoying. "Are you insane?" she snapped

"Sorry?"

"I said are you stupid? Who do you think you are to ask such a question?" Ray had enough of it. Her sarcastic attitude was long gone with Tony's kidnapping and the smallest things made her burst in anger and snap out at anyone.

"I just wanted to ask a very genuine question on behalf of America. The people deserve to know about what is happening with your brother, if he is alive or not, if he is working for or against them."

"Listen you; let me make one thing clear. My brother may be a public figure but he is not a public property. Stop making all this an issue of public interest and stop lying on the screen."

"I really don't find a reason to be angry."

"You know you press people are ridiculous. You just try to make stupid stories about people by annoying them. Just back off!"

"So give me a story."

"What about your one night stands. 'Christine Everheart, the reporter who l lies down with anyone just to get news!' Wait a sec, weren't you at our house one night before Tony's kidnapping? You could use that as an example. It would be a breaking. Better that the news you show on us, after all... how many are bold enough to show a true story on themselves... umm...Is this live?" and with this Rayne walked away with Everheart glaring at her and the cameraman's eyes wide open and mouth hanging. "Delete the last a part." She heard Everheart say. _Stupid Slut!_ She said in her mind.

 **That's chapter 6. Hope you like it. Tell me through your reviews what you think about Ray. You can also tell me if you want to add something to the story. A scene, a character and I'll add it(I'll think about the character).**

 **See ya guyz till the next update. Bye!**

 **ImaginationsUnleashed**


	7. Chapter 7

**God, I am so sorry! I didn't update so long. I had been such a bitch. I had so much stuff to do and my cousin's also staying back at home so I didn't get time to write. So here's a sorry present. I'm going to update a super long chapter for you all. Hope that's enough.**

 **Moreover I am fully birthday mood today 'cause it was my mom's birthday a few days back. I am an idiot! I had remembered It till the birthday eve but I hadn't remembered to wish her till my dad reminded to me. Has that ever happened to you guys? Anyways here's chapter 7.**

 **Chapter 7**

After school only to be greeted by only companion as of now, Pepper. "Hey!" she said.

"Hey!" I said walking into the main hall.

"How was your day?"

"Normal. Except I was bumped in by a very stupid news reported. I gave her a lesson!"

"Ooh! I know. They are really annoying! By the way, I got some food and I was waiting for you to come and join me."

"Pepper you know I really-" I was about to refuse when I was cut off mid sentence by her speaking sternly. "That wasn't a question!"

"Pepper please." I said but she was bent upon getting me eat something.

Pepper couldn't help but notice how much the girl had changed in the past few months. She had a great presence of mind that she was able to handle the press, Obadiah and even put forth a few of her decisions in front of the company without anyone arguing that too with only a little bit of help from Pepper. She was acting strong in front of her but she couldn't ignore her eyes that had lost the glow. She wanted to make her feel better but there was no way she could do that. The only one who could was Tony.

After finishing her lunch Pepper sat on the sofa making some phone calls for the company while Ray sat on the other end solving a rubric cube as she had nothing else to do. The T.V was on and tuned on some news channel. "Life of our Celebs." said the news reporter Catherine Everheart. "Yes, one of the most complicated life. We start our programme with the none other than Rayne Stark." She said. Ray who was not paying much attention to the TV now looked up keeping the rubric cube. "Yes the teenager tops our show today. Sister of millionaire Tony Stark turning 14 tomorrow is next in queue to the throne of Stark Industries after her brother." She said as a picture of Rayne and Tony attending some seminar was shown. Ray sat up straight. "Our sources say that the teenager is quite excited about being the owner of the industry. Woo! Looks like money and competition is taking over sibling love. Poor Tony stark! His heart would break if he comes to know about this."Rayne stared at the TV shocked. "She already refused to hand the custody of her and the company to Obadiah Stane, now what does that suppose to mean?" she continued as Pepper switched off the TV. "Don't pay attention to these Ray. You know how they are." She said. "Bloody slut!" Whispered Ray mentally used more offensive words against her. _How could anyone even say that?_ Thought Pepper.

LATER THAT NIGHT

Ray was walking in a broken down place. The air of that place was awakward and dirty and it made Ray feel sick. As she walked she toppled on something she got up, turned and was shocked to see Tony. "Tony!"She called out but no response "Hey wake up!" she said kneeling down to him but no use. Suddenly two dark figures appeared. It was so dark and misty that it was hard to see their faces. "You!" they said pointing a figure at her. "You don't deserve a family. Everyone you love will die." They said. "No!"Said Ray. "Pain is the only destiny of your loved ones." "Why me?" Ray almost whispered. "Didn't you dad say that to you, Rayne? You are a mishappening. You are useless, you are pain." Her dad's voice echoed through her ears. "Nooooooo!" she screamed only to realise that is was again a bad dream.

 _Ray, hold it. It is not true. Tony is fine. Tony is fine. Tony is fine._ She repeated but the more she said that the more she felt tears rolling down her cheeks. _God tony where are you?_ she thought _I can't lose the only family I have._

FLASHBACK

A small girl not more than 8 or 9 years old sat at the corner beside her bed on the floor with her head dug in her knees. It was quiet except the sobbing that came out from the girl. A young boy in his later teens entered and slowly came beside her."Ray? Honey?" he called. "Don't cry sweetie. They wouldn't want to see you cry." Said Tony, pulling up his sister on his lap. Rayne who was still sobbing curled up and cuddled closer to her older sibling. "Everything will be fine. Don't cry. I'm here." He comforted her slightly rubbing her back. "Tony?" she spoke up for the first time ever since she came to know about the mishappening. "Yes kiddo?" he asked. "Promise me that you would never leave me alone..." she said looking up at him with puffy red eyes. Tony swallowed a lump in his throat. He couldn't see his sister cry like that. It made his heart break that his sister was so scared of loosing people. He also realised that he and his sister had no one else left to call a family except each other. "I promise." He said pulling her closer. "Ray listen..." he cupped her face in his palms. "There is no power on earth that can separate us. You got it?" he said as she nodded wiping her eyes in his shirt that has been her childhood habit. _I'll always be by your side, kiddo. I love you._ He silently promised.

END OF FLASHBACK

Tony had been keeping his promise ever since. He gave the girl everything that she ever wanted. He had never ever let her feel that she was motherless or fatherless. It was when he was kidnapped that Ray felt like she was an orphan and she simply wished that she had her brother back.

Late in Afghanistan, Tony sat in a chair, thinking about the promise he had made years back. He loved his sister too much to let her down. "Happy birthday, kiddo." He said. Thinking about the promise gave him more strength, it made him more determined. "Hurry up Yensein. We have a lot of work and too less time!" he exclaimed.

NEXT MORNING

Ray sat up on her bed only. Spent another sleepless night. She did her regular choars and got changed into a T-shirt that Tony had bought for her. She didn't know why but she really felt like wearing it though she didn't like it a bit though Tony was bent upon buying it. That's the reason it had found its place in the corner of Ray's wardrobe until now.

FLASHBACK

"Hey kiddo! like that one" said Tony pointing to a T-shirt on the rack as he and Ray went out shopping. Ray walked to the rack and picked up the T-shirt to take a closer look.

"Seriously?" she said

"Yups! Awesome isn't it?" said Tony grinning widely

"No! Not at all!"She stared at the T-shirt with the inscriptions 'I am a nerd'.

"Come on! It'll look nice on you..."

"You think I'm a nerd?"

"No... It's just the T-shirt that I like."

"You have an awful choice!"

Though Rat hated it Tony had bought the T-shirt for her and had even made her put a trial before that. "You looked elegant in it!" he had said back home. "Yeah sure." Said Ray sarcastically.

END OF FLASHBACK

She went down the stairs to the main hall to be greeted Pepper. "Happy fab fourteen!"she exclaimed seeing her

"Thanks Peppy!" she said with a small but still a smile. Pepper looked at her T-shirt. "Nice T-shirt." She said sarcastically.

"Not my, Tony's choice." Ray defended but at the mention of Tony her face dropped. M _y first birthday without Tony. S_ he thought in her mind instantly forming a lump in her throat. She looked down to hide it and Pepper seemed to read her as she spoke. "I know you are not used to be away from Tony on special occasions and you hate it when it is your birthday but you have to know that that he would hate it if your birthday is ruined. He himself plans it every year so that you enjoy it, isn't it?" Ray nodded understanding what she meant. "Don't worry. I am fine, really!" she assured.

Pepper smiled at Ray's assurance. She knew that she was strong and she didn't want her to lose hope. She wanted her to believe that her brother would return.

"You are not going to school today." Said Pepper

"No Peppy...I already have missed a lot of school."

"As if you would learn something less! Come on Ray you already know everything done in school you only go there because you like hanging out with your friends and all those soccer stuff!"

"But-"Ray was about to say but was cut off by Pepper speaking sternly. "No buts! And whatever I said wasn't a question!"

"Okay!"Ray sighed

After breakfast Ray had been sitting in the garage floor, against Tony's desk drinking some strong coffee. Ray didn't know why but she had been spending most of her time in the garage. She felt really better.

"Ray come up here!" called up Pepper and practically dragged her to the main living room. There before she could realise what was happening, three figures tackled her on the floor. "Happy Birthday!" they exclaimed. "Guys?"she said finally realising that her attackers were no one other than her own friends Ed, Pete and Jessy. "Didn't you go to school?"she asked. "We were invited." Said Pete. "How could we say no?" added Ed. "Yeah, can I get up, please?" said Ray as they realised that they were literally on her. "Yeah!" They said in unison as Ed helped me up and then turned towards Pepper. "You called them?" "Umm... Yeah..." she said. "That's so sweet of you!" she exclaimed and then turned to the others "Thank you." she added.

The day went quite well. Ray hadn't expected that her this birthday would be like this but surely it would have been thousand times better if Tony there. Still this was unexpected for her thanks to Pepper.

Now she sat on the balcony of her room with her legs hanging above the blue ocean. Her balcony was extended towards the ocean so if you looked down you would see only the Pacific giving you a cruise like feeling.

"Your room is amazing!" said Ed walking up to her and sitting beside her and hanging his legs too."And nice view." He added

"Yeah Tony is very particular about all this. I mean the decor, view etc etc."

"It's your brother's design?" he asked looking back at my room.

"Hmm... all rooms in Stark Mansion are."

"Woah! He has a nice choice."

"Yeah!"

"You really love him, don't you?"

"Hmm..." she sighed "Tony is my only family, Ed. He is not only my brother. After mom and dad he took up the role of a father, a mother and a best friend. Losing him is like losing everything at ones. I...I... I really can't afford it."

"Hmm..."

"Ed, they say that are hardly any chances of him returning and that I should believe the fact now. But..but I don't...don't want to give up on him. I...I...I really can't."

At first it used to hurt like hell to talk about Tony, but now it didn't. I mean I always felt the lump in my throat but now I can control my tears. _Maybe I am getting used to it._ She thought and the very fact disturbed her.

"Don't. He is your brother. Never believe that he is dead. Because he wouldn't do it. But don't become that quite little girl because Tony would hate that and so do I. He'll be back. Safe and sound. I'm sure he feels the same about you."

Ray wasn't sure what to do or what to say. All she wanted was to believe him.

 **So that's chappie 7. It's the longest I have wrote. It runs 7 chapters and I am so proud of myself! Tell me what you think through your reviews. I would love to read them and I may also reply to them.**

 **Bye till then!**

 **ImaginationsUnleashed**


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

Ray jumped in joy and almost cried. Finally Tony was returning home. Rhodey had personally called her up. He wanted to hear that happy voice coming from the 14 year old and he did get his wishes fulfilled. "Rhodes, tell me this is not a joke!" she had asked with a shaky voice at first but when she had been assured that her brother was really located, she had squealed in joy making Rhodes smile.

"Ray, get ready!" said Pepper as she got into Ray's room and Ray face changed to a nervous expression. "What are you waiting for? Com'on, we need to hurry! Don't wanna be late, do you?" Pepper said. "Umm...yeah..." suddenly she felt really nervous. "Pepper, I think I should rather stay back... Why don't you go and pick him up?" she said trying to hide her nervousness. "What? Why?" she asked in shock. "I don't know. I... I just...don't wanna go." She almost whispered. Pepper sighed. She knew why Ray was saying that. The teenager by now had been told several people to move on and accept that her brother was dead. She never believed any of them but she couldn't help but be afraid that these people may be right and now when Tony was really returning she was scared that her belief might be proved wrong. "I know how you feel." She said sitting besideher in her bed. "You are confused. Ray, Tony is back and you want to see him don't you?" Pepper paused trying to read her expression. "Believe me, Ray, you must come. You'll be fine. You'll love it! And... I'm sure you are the first person whom Tony would want to see." Ray kept her stare at the floor. "I'll be there with you." she added as Ray looked up at her and gave a forced smile and nodded.

As the door of the jet opened Ray couldn't control her nervousness. She was seeing Tony after 3 damn months. _I hope it's not a dream._ She almost prayed.

As the door opened Ray saw Tony. She restrained her tears. _Don't cry! Don't cry! Don't cry!_ She repeated in her mind as Tony walked up to her slightly limping on his left leg. "Hey kiddo!" he said with his ever charming smile. "Missed me?" Ray couldn't help but roll her eyes at how much calm he could act and she accidentally let a tear fall and suppressed a sob.

Tony felt his heart beat a thousand times a second, though he would never-ever show it. He pulled her into a hug when she finally relaxed after taking a few deep breaths, digging her face into his chest, her childhood habbit. "Oou!" he exclaimed as she accidentally hit a cut on his chest but he didn't push her away. He had been longing to see her "I missed ya too." He said playfully as if he was just away for a week or so for some Company meeting and if it was just a normal reunion.

When Tony walked down with Ray. "Your eyes are red. A few tears for your long lost boss?" he jokingly asked as he noticed that Peppers eyes were moist. "Tears of joy." She said. "I hate job hunting." "Yeah, vacation's over."

"Where to, sir?" asked Happy. "To the hospital, please, Happy." Ray said but Tony refused. "no." He said at ones. "No? Tony you have to go to the hospital!"protested Pepper. "No is a complete answer he said sternly."But the doctor has to look at you!" she said but no use. "I don't have to do anything. I've been in captivity for three months. There are two things I wanna do." He said and looked at the two girls sitting on his both sides. "I want an American cheeseburger, and the other..." "That's enough of that."Pepper cut in but Tony continued "is not what you think. I want to call a press conference, now."

"Call a press conference?"asked Pepper quite shocked.

"Yeah"

"Woah you seem to have missed the press a lot!"Ray piped in.

"No it's important. Hogan drive. Cheeseburger first!" Tony said.

Tony grabbed his cheeseburger and almost stuffed it in his mouth. "Woah! Couldn't you have just taken a minute to eat and then come to this press conference?" asked Ray but Tony didn't reply to that. "You want some?" he asked instead showing her the half eaten burger. "No, you need that more." She said noticing how hungry her brother was.

As Tony made up in front of the reporters Ray couldn't help but think what her brother wanted to say that he couldn't even spare a minute to eat something. "Hey, would that be alright if everybody sat down?" he asked ones he had everyone's attention. "Why don't you just sit down? I could just be a little... a little less formal." He said as he sat down with the podium against his back as a support.

"What's up with the love-in?"asked Rhodey from behind Ray and Pepper.

"Don't look at us. We don't know what he is up to."

"Good to see you.

Good to see you." Tony continued "I never got to say goodbye to dad. I never got to say goodbye to my father. There's questions that I would have asked him. I would have asked him about how he felt about what this company did. If he was conflicted, if he ever had doubts. Or maybe he was every inch the man we remember from the news reels." He said. Confusion was the only thing that everyone felt. _Come to the point stupid._ Ray mumbled wanting to know what Tony meant.

"I saw young Americans killed by the very weapons I created to defend them and protect them. And I saw... that I had become a part of the system that is comfortable with zero accountability."

"Mr. Stark! What happened over there?" A reporter cut in.

"I had my eyes opened and I realised that I have more to offer this world...than just making things that blow up. And that is why effective immediately... I am shutting down the weapons manufacturing division of Stark International." And the crowd went mad in shock and they rose up. Obadiah made an attempt to stop Tony but he went on. "until such a time as I can decide what future of the company will be, I think we are gonna sell a lot of news papers." We walked off and Obadiah tried to make the press calm down.

As we avoided the press and got into the car Ray and Pepper kept on staring at Tony for answers but he placed his head back on the seat and closed his eyes. After sometime he looked up and, "What?" he exclaimed. "Look girls, I know I am handsome and girls can't stop staring at me but please... Pepper you are my P.A. and Ray, damn it, you're my sister!" "Shut up!" exclaimed both Ray and Pepper as Tony laughed. "We are not joking Tony!" Ray added. She really did miss his stupid jokes but that really wasn't the tome for it. "Girls, I know what I'm doing. Trust me." He said. "But shutting down the weapons manufacturing department of a weapons manufacturing company...?" Ray said. "Just trust me kiddo. I'm not insane."

AT NIGHT

Rayne's POV

"You think you can fix it?" asked a distant voice. "Nothing can be fixed. Soon. Everything will end with the death of your loved ones. And you will be left alone." "No it's a lie!" I screamed. "Hahaha!" he exclaimed," don't you be such an ignorant bitch. Can't you see? People around you are always hurt. They die!" I saw Tony standing. His face was expressionless, marked with blood, his t-shirt crimson red. Suddenly he fell on the floor and a jet of blood flew out of his chest. I wanted to help but... but something stopped me from moving. Some people pointed guns at him. "No, no please!" I cried but they didn't listen and shot him right n his head. "AAaaah!" I woke up with a scream.

" Ray?" I heard Tony call and soon he. my room and was sitting beside me. "Nightmare?" he asked and I nodded. I tried to calm my breath but it just wouldn't. I felt Tony wrap his around me. "What was it about, hunh?" he asked but I remained silent. What would I tell him, that I was having dreams about his death? He somehow seemed to have read my thoughts. "It was about me, wasn't it?" he asked. I didn't reply. I simply placed my head on his chest and tried to relax and calm down my breath. "Hey! Hey! Hey! It's okay, okay! I'm here, back and I'm not going to leave you alone again, I promise." He made an attempt to calm me.

"Tone?" I called looking up at him as I had calmed by now. "Can I ask you something?"

"When did you started taking permission from me for asking question? Shoot it!"

"What's that on your chest?" I asked looking at the circular light kind of thing glowing on his chest jut where I rest my head. He looked as if he didn't want to answer.

"Nothing that important."

"And what is that unimportant thing?" _Surely he is hiding something._

"Really, it's nothing!"

"So you are not going to tell me?" I sighed "Com'on! How long are you going to do that? I'm not a kid. You left me alone here, you were kidnapped! And now when I ask you what's wrong, you refuse to say a word. Tony please!"

"Okay, okay! I'm sorry. I get it!" he sighed knowing how stubborn I am. He knew I wouldn't let it go so easily and moreover he knew that I was worried and no matter how much I deny, I was scared. Tony cares about me. I know that. Maybe that's the reason why he doesn't want me to know about anything. But I am his sister. I have the right to know it. "It's a miniature arc-reactor." He finally said.

"You mean the green energy project that was the company's publicity stunt?"

"Yeah."

"What does it do?"

"It pumps my heart."

"What?"

Tony sighed. "Nothing like you think it to be! It's a simple machine. "he said

"Why do you have it?" nervousness clear in my voice.

"When we were attacked I was near a bomb when it blasted." He said. "A few pieces of shrapnel got plugged in... in my heart and this thing," he pointed at the arc, "keeps them from creeping into my heart."

"Those things are inside you?"I freaked out. "Tony you need a doctor and and..."

"Ray! Ray! Ray! I had been alive with these for three months, okay? I am fine...just fine! Nothing can kill me. NOTHING!" he said stressing on the last part.

"But..." I tried to protest but he sushed me.

"I'm fine, kiddo. Don't worry!"

I stared at the arc reactor for some time and slowly reached to touch it. "Does it hurt?" I asked but then pulled back my hand. He smiled, picked up my hand and placed it on the reactor. "It doesn't, see?" he said as I smiled.

 **So that's chapter 8. Sorry I know it's been long since I last updated but I had problems back at home. I didn't feel like writing. Anyways, I'll try to update as soon as possible.**

 **Bye till then!**

 **ImaginationsUnleashed**


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9**

 **Normal POV**

Pepper looked at the two siblings come down of the staircase. Tony was laughing at something and Ray was passing death glares at him. Pepper smiled. Ray looked fine now, except the fact that she had become really thin due to not eating properly. But still it was the charming Ray who is smart, chatty and sometimes really moody.

"Morning!" she greeted them as they approached her. "Good morning." They said in unison. And sat in their places. "Kiddo!" Tony called. "Hmm?"

"Wanna go out somewhere today?"

"Today?" Ray asked. "Aah! Tone, I would love to but I have to go to the practice sessions of football. We have a match in two days and I wasn't present in any of the sessions."

"You mean Saturday?"

"Yup!"

"When?"

"At sharp 9."

"You think I can come?" and Ray gave him an amused look.

"I thought you didn't like going out in crowdy places!"

"Not if it's your match."

"Sure! That would be awesome!"Ray exclaimed happily. Pepper looked at Tony. She had been working for him for years and she knew how much Tony hated going to crowdy places, yet he wanted to go. Tony would never show it but when he was in the cave it had several times came to his mind that he may never escape that place. The fact that he would never be able to see to see Ray sent shivers down his spine. He never knew how it felt to losing her until he was at the verge of doing so. Right now, all he wanted was to spent time with her.

"So for practicing you need to go to school." Said Tony.

"Of course!" said Ray.

"I'm dropping you."

 **Ray's POV**

I hurried down the staircase to the garage where all our cars are parked. I sat down on the passenger seat of the yellow Lamborghini as Tony drove me t school.

"So when are we gonna start working?"asked Tony.

"Working on what?" I asked.

"My baby." He said referring to the car we were working on before he left. I felt a lump in my heart. "Umm... Maybe next time. Don't do it without me." I said in a nervous voice. That car was in no condition to displayed in front of Tony.

FLASHBACK

 **Normal POV**

Ray was sitting in the garage looking at the car she and Tony had been working on as tears flew down her cheeks.

" _So what are you working on?" asked Ray as they reached the workspace. "My baby!" Tony smirked "She's not well and I need your help to fix her" he said gesturing to the broken car that he was remodelling. "So who's the mother of your baby?" Ray grinned as tony rolled his eyes at his sister's nasty comment._

As the memories came to her mind she couldn't help but cry. She was feeling hopeless that she would never be able to see his brother again, will never be able work with him again, NEVER.

 _Why should I keep the car if Tony is not supposed to return?_ She thought _. Since your brother is gone... away someone needs to needs to act in place of him._ Obadiah's voice rang into her head. _I just meant that people are saying that there are hardly any chances of his returning. Maybe the government will declare him dead in a few days._ She remembered what Catherine had said her. She picked up a metal rod kept on the corner of the desk she was sitting on and smashed it right on the windscreen of the car. "No!" she screamed and hit the car a few more times shattering its glasses and distorting its shape. "Why me?" she said as she cried louder and now sat on the floor with a thud.

END OF FLASHBACK

 **Ray's POV**

I can never show Tony what I did. He would end up worrying. "Umm okay. But don't make me wait too long, I am dieing to complete that." He said as I mentally pledged to fix the car before Tony sees it. I made a mental note to fix the car before Tony sees it.

As we drove in front of my school I could feel all eyes on us. I opened the scissor door and got out of the car. Tony popped his head out of the window. "I'm gonna send Happy to get you." he said."Okay, Bye!" I said as I started to walked away but he called me back. "Forgetting something?" he asked playfully and I put stress on my head too remember. Finally when I found nothing I said, "Tony, I have taken my books, my bag, my phone and everything. What have I forgotten?" "Kiss?" he said making a pouty face. "What?" I asked shocked. _When did you start asking for goodbye kisses?_ I thought in my mind but he maintained his pout like a kid. I couldn't help but laugh at him. "Alright, have it your way!" I said and pecked him on his cheek and he in his turn returned it. "Take care, kiddo!" he whispered in my ear. I knew how he felt. I had been through the same loneliness he had been through, the same fear of losing each other. In such a situation his behaviour was completely normal. "Yeah, same to you!" I said warmly and then made my way back to school.

Staying away from Tony sucks. I had not been myself for so long. I had almost forgotten my hobbies and passion. I hardly used my head in doing something. I did not even attend any football practice in school that I was a part of. My coach, Mr Flynn did not bother me with my attendance because everyone knew what I went through all these days and I am thankful to them. Now...I think I should try to get back to a normal schedule.

After grabbing my stuff from the locker I rushed to my class room to be greeted by my friends- Ed, Jessie, Pete and Jase. "Hey guys!" I greeted merrily. "Hey!" they replied. "Wassup?" they asked "Looking forward to the match?" asked Pete. "Yeah, I am!"I told them.

Miss Hudson entered our class as we all took our seats. We had biology. "So we were studying about the mechanism of the human brain..." she started teaching.

As the class was over a girl whom I suppose to be my junior came. "Rayne?" she called. "Yes, How can I help?" I asked politely. "Mr William is calling you in his office." she said.

Mr. William is our physics teacher. He seems to love the subject and teaching it. Naturally, he likes me as a student (Afterall, I'm a Stark and physics is in our DNA.) I love the way he teaches the subject with passion so naturally I am also drawn towards the man.

"Mr. William?" I said as I stood in front of his office door. "Rayne, I had been waiting for you. Come in." He said as I obeyed. " , I am so sorry. I had been away on most of your lectures. I know nothing about what's covered in class. I will catch up for sure." _Considering I already know everything that is done in class. I am just here because I want to be with people of my age._

"Class?" he said. "No, I didn't cal you for that Rayne. I want you to meet someone." He asked me to follow him to the room where he receives his guests. There, on the sofa, sat a lady who looked to me like a university student. "Rayne, meet Jane, Jane Froster my ex-student and Jane, this is Rayne, Rayne Stark, none other than sister of Tony Stark." He said. "Nice to meet you..." she greeted.

 **NORMAL POV**

Tony drove back home after dropping Ray at school. He really didn't want to get into the fluff that the company's board of directors would create after his return. Moreover Obadiah had told him to 'lay low' and that was what he was doing. Moreover he had to fix up things at home and bring them back to normal. Rayne, he knew her too well. Tony knew that it must have been really hard for her. He had asked Pepper about her last night.

FLASHBACK

Tony walked down to the living room where Pepper, his PA was working. "Hey!" she greeted on seeing him approach to which he nodded in reply. This wasn't a polite way of answering but Pepper had been working for Tony and she knew that it was enough a reply. Tony was lost in his thoughts. Pepper knew that. Her years of work experience had taught her to read his boss's mood. She decided on not bothering him and continued her work.

" ?" Tony called suddenly and Pepper looked up from her laptop to answer him. "Yes?" "How is Ray doing?" he asked. Pepper knew what he was asking but she didn't know what to answer. She herself had decided to tell Tony about everything that had happened in his absence but she didn't expect him to ask so suddenly. "She is a strong girl, Tony." She told him. "If I would have been in her place I would not have known what to do. But she controlled herself quite well. Atleast in front of others. "She remembered the time she had taken the decision of not handing the whole responsibility of the company in hand of Stane. "She even went through the board meetings well. I mean... who expects a 14 year old to act so wisely, especially in such a situation?" she added. Tony nodded. He knew that his sister was smart enough to take these decisions. But he also knew that she would never share any feelings. She would keep them to herself. "She is smart Pepper but that is not what I asked." Tony said. Pepper sighed. She could not frame sentences to describe Tony how miserable she was, the form of Ray only she had seen. "She was broken, Tony." She finally said. "Not that she told me but I could see the changes within her. She hardly ate unless I forced her to, she didn't sleep and spent most her time in that workspace of yours." Tony attentively listened to her. "I tried to get her cheer up but how could I? It was only you who could do that! Well, she did go school later on but it didn't help. Infact the press attacked her when she made any appearance... Well she had given them a good blow when the made her mad but they ended up making stupid stories on her. And then there was Obadiah... I don't get it..Why was he so eager on getting a statement from her on the future of the company. You were not dead. I don't know what happened in the board meetings but that was very rude of him to force her. He even went to the extent of telling her that there was hardly any chance that you return. She had made a smart reply but I know she was hurt and ...and... scared. She had locked herself in her room after that." "Obadiah?" Tony said in shock. "Why would he do that?" "I don't know, Tony. I found his behaviour really strange." Pepper replied.

END OF FLASHBACK

Tony had sensed that something was disturbing his sister when he mentioned about working in the car. He had noticed how her face had paled at the mention of it and she had refused to work on it for time being.

As he drove in his home, he made his way to the workspace where he had been longing to work. Months of working in that cave had tired him and he was also missing the assistance of his beloved AI Jarvis. As he walked in he noticed the car he had been mentioning to his sister. It was covered with a cloth and was dusty. _Was not even touched._ He mumbled as he walked towards it. He reached for the covers and pulled it off it . What he didn't expect was to see the car in that broken condition. _What the hell, Ray?_ He mumbled. He knew how impulsive Ray could be at times. So it didn't shock him but the realisation of what kind of emotion Ray had been through broke his heart. He understood why Ray didn't want to work on it. He carefully placed back the covers making a mental note to talk to Ray about it. _But what can I tell her?_ Was the only question that played on his head.

 **So that's chapter 9. Sorry I know it's been long since I last updated but I had problems back at home. My maternal grandmother passed away a week back and I really didn't feel like writing. It was today that I realised that it had been quite a long time since I last updated.**

 **You must have noticed. I edited the last chapter. I realised that I wanted to add a few more things to it. I'll prefer you read it ones. And for those who are reading it, please do review and tell me if you like the story or not cause right now I'm confused if my writing style is good or not. It means a lot to me. Anyways, I'll try to update as soon as possible.**

 **Bye till then!**

 **ImaginationsUnleashed**


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10**

 **Ray's POV**

I was happy. I was more than happy today. Today Jacob had asked me out. Well not directly but I knew it.

FLASHBACK

After lunch I rushed to take my kit from the locker room. "Hey Ray!" I heard Jake call from behind. "Hey Jake!" I said turning back. "I was wondering if you are free today evening?"he asked me. "Umm... Nothing as such... Ya I'm free." I said. "Cool!" he said. "Wanna join me in Maine's concert today? I would have called the others but... I have only two tickets." "Well if you want I can get more tickets. I can ask Pepper to get few more." I told him. "No!" he snapped. "I was wondering if only we can go..." "Ooh.." I said "That would be fine. So when do we meet?" " At seven. In our regular spot." "Done!"

END OF FLASHBACK

I had jumped in excitement. Not that I was in love with Jake but still I had something for him. I felt really happy.

Reaching home I rushed to my room and took a long shower. Then I sat on the sofa in the living room across Tony. He was lost working on some small device. "Hey!" I greeted him. "Hmm.." he responded. I stretched myself and pulled out my legs on the sofa.

"Done!" I heard Tony say after some time. Then he looked at me. "When did you come home?" he asked. I stared at him. "Some time back and even greeted you to which you did reply!" I told him. "Oh!" he exclaimed. "Really?"he asked and I nodded in reply. "Sorry I don't even remember if I had anything for breakfast today or not." he said.

"Come here." He said pulling me beside him on his sofa. "Take this." He handed me the device she had been working on. "What is it?" I asked. "It is a paralysing device. Gives nervous shock and paralyses your muscles." I took it in my hand inspecting it. "What do I do with it?" I asked. "I want you to keep it... for you safety. Use it on anyone who tries to hurt you." he said.

I noticed how worried he had been ever since he had returned from Afghan. I don't blame him. Everything he had been through has scared him though he would never agree. "Carry it everywhere. School, friends, parties and even washrooms. "Tone?" I was about to talk but he spoke up again. "I'll prefer you carry it in your pocket, where you can reach it easily and in any bag." I went closer to him and rested my head on his shoulder as he wrapped his one arm around me. "I'll carry it everywhere. I promise." I assured."But I don't want you to take so much stress. You need some rest, Tony!"

"Wanna help me to do something cool?" he asked as I nodded. "Be there in half an hour. I need to grab some stuff." He said going up to his room.

I went down to the garage. I had to hide the car properly. But when I got down I realised that it was no use hiding it any more. The cloth was turned and less dusty. It was touched and no wonder it was my brother who had discovered the condition. I sighed. I knew I have to go through a counselling session.

"Yes, I saw it." He said as he entered the garage. I didn't say a word. I wanted to avoid the topic. It wasn't something that I wanted to discuss about, especially Tony. "You okay right kiddo?" he asked. "Yup." I said avoiding eye-contact with him. "Look at me Ray." He pulled me to face him. "I know that you are scared. Everything is still a mess and maybe there are things that you do not understand. But believe me, all this will be over soon. I promise." He said. "You mean it's not over yet?" I asked with a shaky voice. "I just don't want you to worry." He said. "You are not answering me." "Wanna see something cool?" he said trying to change the topic. I sighed. How stupid humans can be! How can anyone possibly think that one wouldn't worry after everything that happened. I hugged him. He looked a bit shocked at first but then he hugged me back. "I love ya, kiddo." He said placing a small kiss on my head.

Tony and I walked into our workspace. "Let me present to you, Mark II!" he said as a blue print popped in front of my face. My eyes went wide. "Tony, it's... it's awesome!" I exclaimed. "You made it in a cave!" I was shocked. "Umm... yeah." He said proud of himself. "I know I'm a genious." He added as I rolled my eyes. BOASTING! "When do we get started?" I asked. "We will. But first I need you to help at this." He tapped his arc reactor. "need to make it smaller, so that it fits under regular clothing."

We had been working for long hours. It's hard to tell how tell how long cause I didn't see the time when we started but it was around 6 when I noticed the clock. "Shit!" I exclaimed. "What?" Tony asked. "I need to go. I'm meeting a friend." I told him and I rushed to my room without giving him a chance to question me.

After some time I came out fully dressed. I wore a denim blue jeans and a pitch black T-Shirt and had pulled up my hair into a messy bun with a slight make-up. I was never one to put on dark make-up except in parties. "Should I drop you?" Tony asked. "No! No! No! No! No! No!" I exclaimed "I can go by myself." I added. "Where are you going?"

"Maine's concert."

"With whom?"

"Friend"

"Which friend?"

"A friend at school." He raised an eyebrow.

" When are you coming back?" _Strange he never asked so many questions._

"Don't know. Maybe 10."

"Is it a date?" *blush* _Don't you dare blush, Rayne Emily Stark!_

"You are going to complete the reactor before I return, right?"

"Yeah...Who is it?" *Eye rolles*

"I'll be back soon!" I started walking out.

"Rayne!" he called in his authorative tone.

"Bye!" I walked out. "And don't worry, I am not looking forward to this."

 **Tony's POV**

After Ray had gone, I devoted all my time working on the reactor. By the time I was done it was half past 9. Whoa! Didn't even realise the time passed so early! I needed someone to help me put it in. I took up my phone and called up pepper. "Hello?"he voice jingled after some time. "Pepper how big are your hands?"I asked. "What? I don't understand. "Just get down here."I told her and hung up.

"Show me your hands."I told her as she entered the workspace. "Let me see your hands." I told her as she raised her hands to show me."Oh wow! They are small. Very petite. Indeed! Just need your help for a sec." I said as I lay down."Oh my god!" she said looking at the socket of the reactor."Is that the thing that is keeping you alive?" she asked wide eyed. "It was." I said. "Now, it is an antique. This..." I said showing her the new and advanced reactor, "is the thing that thing that is going to keep me alive for the foreseeable future." She stared wide eyed at the hole."I'm swapping it up for an upgrade unit, and I just ran into a little speed bump." I explained. "Speed bump, what does that suppose to mean?" she asked confused."It's nothing. It's just a little snag." I explained. "There's an exposed wire under this device and it's contacting the socket wall and it's causing a little bit of a short circuit." I told her. She looked scared and confused. "What do you want me to do?" she asked. "I want you to reach it in and gently pull out the wire out."

"Is that safe?"

"Yeah, it should be fine. It's like an operation.. You just don't let it touch the socket wall or it would go 'beep'"

"What do you mean operation?" she asked as she inserted her hands inside the socket but she was clearly panicking.

"Nevermind. It's just like a game." I told her.

"You know I don't thing that I am qualified to do this."

"No you're fine. You are the most capable, qualified, trustworthy person I've ever met. You're goanna be great." I told her. "Is it too much problem to ask? 'Cause I'm..."

"Okay! Okay!"

"I really need your help here."

"Okay!"she inserted her hands in. "Oh there is pus!1" she exclaimed.

"It's not pus. It's inorganic plasmic discharge from the device." I told her trying to act chilled.

"It smells!"

"Yeah, it does."I said ." The copper wire. The copper wire, you got it?" I said as I felt her grab the wire. "Now don't let it touch the sides." I told her as she started pulling it out but it hit the sides multiple times making me jump due to shock.

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry." She cried.

"That's what I was trying to tell you before." I told her. Then she tried to pull it out. "Okay, now you make sure when you pull it out , you don't... aah!" I tried to say but was cut mid sentence by the magnet hitting the wall of the socket. "There's a magnet attached to it!" I finished. "That was it! You just pulled it out!" I said.

"Oh, God!"she exclaimed. She looked damn confused and when she wasn't able to keep it she brought in near the socket again. "Don't put it back again!" I exclaimed and started going numb due to the shock.

"What's wrong?" she asked.

"Nothing. I'm just going into a cardiac arrest, 'cause you yanked it out like a trout."

"What? You said it was safe!" she almost cried.

"We gotta hurry. Take this. Take this." I handed her the new arc reactor. "You got switch it out really quick."

"Okay. Okay." She panicked again "Tony?" she called. "Its goanna be okay."

"What? Is it?"

"its goanna be okay. I'm goanna make you okay."

"Lets hope." I said. Even I was nervous now. "Okay, you're goanna attach that to the base plate. Make sure...Aah!" I exclaimed again as she fixed it. "Was that too hard? It was fun, right? HAHAHAHA" I said

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm great. You okay?"

"Don't ever ever ever ask me to do something like that again!" I couldn't help but laugh.

"I don't have anyone but you."

After that when I got up Pepper showed me the old reactor, "What do you want me to do with it?"

"Destroy it?"

"What? You don't want me to keep it ?"

"Pepper I had been called many things. Nostalgic is not one of them."

"Will that be all ?"

"That will be all, ."

 **Yay! That's chappie 10! And this time I updated early. I deserve a prize. DO you want to suggest any ideas to the story? I would love to hear them from you all. Tell me. I'll wait for your reviews.**

 **Merry Christmas to you all and Happy New Year in advance (I can't promise that I would update before new year.) Hope you have a great year ahead.**

 **Bye till then!**

 **ImaginationsUnleashed**


	11. Chapter 11

**You must be angry. Yu deserve to be. First, I had exams and then I was really reluctant in writing the chapter. So you all deserve a sorry present. Here's a super long chapter, my lengthiest. It runs 10 pages in word!**

 **Anyways, here's chapie 11.**

 **Chapter 11**

 **Rayne's POV**

I met Jasper at the cross way as planned and we walked to Maine's concert. It was quite crowded and I thanked god that not many people know me. I hate it when I get too much of attention in these situations when I want some privacy. I loved the concert.

"Maine was awesome, wasn't she?" I said as we walked back from the concert in a deserted alley that was probably a short cut to the taxi stand. Apparently few reporters had spotted me and were after me so Jasper and I took this street.

"Yeah, she really was cool... Thanks for coming." he said

"Nah! Thanks for calling." I said.

"Ray?" he called. "Can I say you something?"

"Shoot it!"

"Suddenly without any warning he pulled me towards hi and crashed his lips on mine. I was too shocked t realise what had happened that I didn't even react. He pushed me against the wall. When I gained a little sense I pushed him away but he forced me back to a kiss. "Hell Jasper what are you doing?" I tried to push him again but he kept on wildly kissing me without any reply. He started browsing his hands on me before he tied to slip his hand s inside my t-shirt. "Bull shit, Jasper!" I pushed him away, this time with greater strength. "I...I thought you like me..." said Jasper. "What?" I snapped . " NO!... No not like this. I don't like you!" "But..." was about to say but I cut him off. "No buts! I'm going home." I started walking away. Suddenly he did something that I didn't expect. He pulled me by my arm and pinned me on the ground. "Jasper what the hell!" I shouted. He took out a knife and made cuts on my hands. "You bastard, what do you think you are doing?" I cried as he made a cut in my stomach as pain shot me. I tried to gain upper hand kicked him on his gut as he fell on the floor. As he was about to get up I kicked him hard again this time with my heels and before he could move I took out the paralyser Tony had given me and used it on him. He fell immovable on the ground. "It works!" I said pulling up my jacket. I noticed that my stomach was bleeding. I pulled my jacket closer to hide the blood and then rushed to the taxi stand. "Stark Manson." I said at ones and sat on the seat with a thud.

 **Normal POV**

Tony hates it when Ray is late. It's about 10:35 now and she is not back yet. It was around 11 when Ray came back and she dashed into her room. "Hey!" he said that she replied before banging shut her door. Tony followed her to her room and noticed that she had gone to the washroom to freshen up and had kept the jacket on the bed. Tony picked it up only to see the blood stains in the inner part of it. He quickly reached the pocket and pulled out the paralyser and hit its memory button. It had been used ones. He slowly walked up to the washroom door before placing a light knock."Ray, you in there?" he said but no reply came. Then he noticed that the door wasn't locked. He slowly opened it to see that his little sister was sitting on the wall of the bath tub staring at her feet. Her back was turned towards him and she had not noticed Tony entering and walking towards her. She was wearing a regular blue short shorts and a half sleeved t-shirt. Tony noticed the small cut on her left hand from where blood was flowing while the rest wasn't visible from his angle. "How did you get that?" he exclaimed walking beside her "Shit! Tony! I thought I locked the door!" she exclaimed suddenly turning around. That when he noticed the other cuts on her hands, one on her thigh and the big one on her stomach that was bleeding and staining her t-shirt red. "What happened? Who did this?" he asked in a demanding tone but Ray did not reply. "You are going to tell me or I'm goanna force you!" he pulled her harshly to face her and accidentally pressed his hand on one of the cuts on her arm. She finched. "Tony I'm fine , okay? Calm down" she said.

Tony knew he had to handle things carefully. He always felt confused when it was about Ray. He knew that he sometimes he forced her to tell things. But e didn't understand what should have been right do. _What would mom have done if she was here?_ That's the question he asked himself several times before and he asked it to himself again. He realised that he should handle it calmly and give her some time. "Yeah, I can see that." He said calming his tone.

"Can you please go out?" Ray asked.

"Why?"

"I'm not wearing anything."

 _Lame excuse_ Tony thought but said, "You always wear these!"

"Oh come on!" She said pushing him out.

"I'm waiting outside." he said ones he was out before. Ray closed the door and sighed. _Why does my brother has to be so observant?_ She thought and wiped the blood that was on the hands and stomach and changed her clothes. She took more time expecting that Tony wouldn't stay if she took longer. She didn't want to talk to him about it. Not now. She was feeling sick and angry...angry at Jacob for not keeping her faith. _Such a jerk! Such a jerk!_ she repeated in her head.

After taking her time inside the washroom she came out only to find that Tony was still there fidgeting with her lego art kept on her table that she used to make when she was younger. "I don't know you stopped making these? You know you are quite awesome in these."

"I don't like making them anymore." She said plainly. "Are you hurt?" Tony asked in his concerned tone. "No!" she said in a tone showing that she didn't want to talk about it. Tony, trying to keep himself calm let her take some time to calm down. She sat on her bed fuming and mentally talking to herself. "Ray, calm down." He said in an attempt to start a conversation. She threw herself in frustration on the bed hugged the stuffed bunny that she treasures from her childhood. Tony lent forward to take a look at her to see that she was squeezing her eyes shut. "Hey, tell me what happened." He asked but she didn't answer. "Listen to me. It's enough now. You are my sister, you are my responsibility. You can't just react like this. You have to tell me or I'll make you. Look at me!" he pulled her to face him. "Ray please." He said calming his tone. "Who did this?" "Jasper." She almost whispered. She wasn't looking scared but rather upset. "Jasper?" he asked "Isn't he one of the guys from your groups?" she nodded. "I thought he was a friend. But he is an absolute jerk!" "Hey, are you hurt?" "No!" "Tell me what happened." Ray knew that there was no way Tony was letting her get away with this so she finally gave o and told him what happened.

Tony felt his blood boil. _How could anyone hurt her like that?_ He thought to himself. "I'm goanna kill him!" Tony said. "Tony, no!" Ray said sternly. "Please let me handle it, Tony. I don't want you to be in all this. If I need you I'll tell you." she said but Tony didn't seem satisfied. "I promise." She added. Tony rolled his eyes. "Just because you are telling me." Tony said and Rat gave him a smile.

TIME JUMP

After Tony had gone out Ray spent most of her time scribbling in her diary where she was making planning for a machine. This machine she was making could use nuclear energy to convert it to different forms of energy. Right now her aim was sound energy. She didn't even know why she ha d stuck up to sound energy but it didn't matter right now considering all she wanted was to efficiently convert the energy and see if her calculations worked or not. By the time she finished it , it was around 1 o' clock. _Time to sleep!_ She said in a sing-song tone.

Ray was running, looking for someone who could help her out of the unknown danger. She was in Stark Mansion. "Help!" she yelled at the top of her lungs. She went down the stairs to the garage. It was wrecked. The computers were broken, the cars disintegrated. What was left were the metal scrapes the branded cars not even recogniseable. Suddenly she saw someone come towards her. The pace of his walking was amazingly slow. When he approached she was shocked to see that her brother was standing in front of her. But he didn't look like what he usually does. He was bruised all over, blood all over his body. His hair messed up and black unlike his natural brown and sticking to his face, his skin pale his eyes dull. Suddenly , he grabbed her shoulder. "You..." he said , "why are you here?" "Why?" I asked. "You shouldn't be here!" he said and suddenly pushed her and she suddenly felt like she was falling down in an endless hole.

"Aaaah!" Ray screamed as she sat up on the bed. She realised that it was around 2:30. _Great! Not even two hours of sleep._ She held her head in her hands. Her hear was aching like hell. Realising that she wouldn't be able to sleep she went down to see if her brother was awake or not.

As expected, Tony was working in his garage. He was sitting surrounded by holograms that Ray recognized as the Mark II suit. "Looks impressive!" she said walking in. "Hmm?" Tony said shocked not expecting anyone to come at that hour of night. "Not sleeping?" he asked realising that it was his sister who had came in. "Didn't feel like. Had enough." She said turning the projection towards her. "Nightmare?" Tony almost read her.

"Hmm" she nodded.

"Ray, you haven't been sleeping properly." Tony pointed out.

"I know. But I don't want to." Ray protested.

"I don't want you to fall sick."

Ray didn't reply to him. Instead she kept on inspecting the suit. "Having all the fun yourself, hunh?" she said.

"I was just checking the software."

"Mind if I join?"

"No... I'd love to."

At around 6 in the morning the suit was ready. "Finally!" Ray exclaimed with excitement. "We just need to upload the software." Tony said and Ray nodded. "Your additions are awesome, Ray." Tony said referring to the additions in the aiming system and the plasma blasters. "What do we call it?" Ray asked ones the last of the suit was kept in place.

"Mark II" said Tony plainly.

"No we need a more friendly name, something more like a superhero."

"Okay...What about... kick-ass?"

"No!"

"Butt crusher?"

"Of course not!"

"What then?" he asked frustrated. "Why don't you suggest one?"

"What about..umm..Iron Man?"

"Iron Man." Tony said "That's kind of catchy. It's got a nice ring to it. I mean, it's not technically accurate. The suit's a gold-titanium alloy,"

"I know that! But what else do you want to call it? Auro-titanium man?"

"Iron man" he repeated, " it's kind of evocative, the imagery, anyway. Not bad Ray!"

Jarvis had by now updated the software. "Let me in." He said.

"Jarvis, you up?" Tony asked his loyal AI.

" For you, sir, always."

"Open a new project file, index as Mark Two." said Ray.

"Shall I store this on the Stark Industries Central Database?"

"Actually, we don't know who to trust right now."

"Till further notice, why don't we just keep everything on my private server?" Tony suggested and Jarvis obeyed.

"Working on a secret project, are we, sir?"

"I don't want this winding up in the wrong hands. Maybe in mine, it can actually do some good." Tony said.

"Next. Up." Ray instructed the robots.

"Not in the boot, Dummy. Right here. You got me? Stay put. Nice. You're of no benefit at all. Move down to the toe. I got this." Tony instructed Dummy, his assistant. Then he was realising that he was on his way he said, "Okay, I'm sorry, am I in your way?" but Dummy couldn't do the stuff properly. "Screw it. Don't even move! You are a tragedy! Okay, let's do this right." He said as Ray set the computers.

Tony got up on the stage in front of the cameras. "Why am I at the back stage?" protested Ray.

"Because, I am the hero of the movie."

"Dummy, look alive. You're on standby for fire safety. You, roll it." Ray said.

"Okay. Activate hand controls." Ray added, "We're gonna start off nice and easy. We're gonna see if 10% thrust capacity achieves lift." She told and counted down, "And three, two, one." And pressed the enter key.

"Up two. All right, set that." Tony added

"I've been buzzing you. Did you hear the intercom?" Pepper said when Tony was checking the blasters.

"Yeah, everything's... What?" Tony asked when he realised that Pepper wanted to say something.

"Obadiah's upstairs."

"Great!"

"What would you like me to tell him?"

"Great. I'll be right up."

"Okay." And Pepper went upstairs leaving Ray and Tony alone. Ray had not gone to school because of her headache. She had decided to join directly at the football practice.

"Why is Obadiah here?"Ray asked ones Pepper had gone.

"I have absolutely no idea." Tony said, "So what's your problem with him?"

"Nothing like that, its just...uuh... when youo weren't here, we were not in equal terms."

"That's what I'm asking, why?"

"I can't explain, exactly. He was hurrying with stuff and all. I found it really stramge."

"Yeah, Pepper told me. You want me to talk to him about it."

"Probably not I never had happy terms with him. It was always you. So, nevermind."

Tony nodded.

"Can I ask you something?"

"Shoot it!"

"Do you trust Obadiah?"

"I don't distrust him." He said himself confused. "Do you?"

"I don't know. I don't think I do."

Tony nodded and then he and Ray made their ways upstairs to meet Obadiah. "How'd it go?"Tony asked ones up. "It went that bad, huh?" he said realising he had brought pizza.

"Just because I brought pizza back from New York doesn't mean it went bad." Obadiah said as Ray went round the room to take seat beside Tony but she didn't speak. She didn't like speaking to Obadiah.

" Sure doesn't. Oh, boy."

"It would have gone better if you were there." He argued.

"You told me to lay low. That's what I've been doing!" Tony defended himself. " I lay low, and you take care of all..."

" Hey, come on. In public. The press. This was a board of directors meeting!"

" This was a board of directors meeting?"

"The board is claiming you have posttraumatic stress. They're filing an injunction."

-"A what?"

"They want to lock you out."

"Why, 'cause the stocks dipped 40 points?"

"We knew that was gonna happen."

"Fifty-six and a half." Pepper piped in.

"It doesn't matter!" Tony protested.

"We own the controlling interest in the company." Ray finally spokek up.

"She has a point." Tony said.

"Tony, the board has rights, too. They're making the case that you and your new direction isn't in the company's best interest." Obadiah said.

" I'm being responsible! That's a new direction for me," tony said honestly. "for the company." He added "I mean, me on the company's behalf being responsible for the way that..."

"Oh, come on. Tony. Tony."

"I'll be in the shop."

"Hey, hey! Hey, Tony. Listen. I'm trying to turn this thing around, but you gotta give me something. Something to pitch them. Let me have the engineers analyze that. You know, draw up some specs." He said about the arc reactor.

Tony looked at Ray. The siblings shared glances before Tony spoke, "No. No, absolutely not."

Obadiah might have noticed that but didn't say anything about it. " It'll give me a bone to throw the boys"

" This one stays with me." Tony made it clear. Then he got up to walk down to the garage pulling Ray with him.

"You mind if I come down there and see what you're doing?" Obadiah asked.

"Good night, Obie."

 **Thats chappie 11. Hope you guys liked it. I'll try to update as long as possible. Bye till then.**


	12. Chapter 12

**Hey everyone! I am back ones again with chapter 12. I know, I am late in updating again. Actually its all the study pressure. I have nine hours of school a day and then after coming back I have homework, tuition and studies. My teachers are taking exams almost regularly. I hardly find time for myself. But I really felt like writing today so here is the update.**

 **Chapter 12**

 **Normal POV**

"Jarvis did you analyse Ray?" asked Tony.

"On it, sir." Obeyed his AI system.

Tony had been worried. Ray did not have a complete sleep in the past few months since his kidnapping. She would barely sleep for two or three hours and would be awakened by a nightmare. That wasn't good for her health. Sleep deprivation could be dangerous.

"Sleep deprivation resulting in stress, headache. May suffer from blood pressure. Possible PTSD."

Tony sighed. He had no idea what to do. The sixteen year old was scared to the roots. Ever since their parents car crash she had been having dreams and just when thing were getting to its proper place everything got messed up again.

"Sir, Miss Rayne is fluctuating in her sleep. You may want to look at her.", Said Jarvis. At this Tony rushed to his sister's room to check on her. He found her sitting on her bed with a disgusted expression. It took him no time to understand that she had another nightmare.

"Ray?" I called walking up to her. "Hon, its okay."

"I can't take this anymore..." she whispered.

"Honey, look at me.", said Tony. "You are just too scared. You need to take that fear out of your mind, you need to overcome it." She didn't reply. "I know that everything that's happening is not doing any good to you but you can't let your fear win." She nodded. "And you need to sleep." he added.

"I can't sleep. If sleep I'll have the shit of those dreams in my head. It's driving me crazy!" She exclaimed.

"But that's not good for your health. You need to sleep to live."

"I can't!"

"Just lie down. Don't worry."

"But..."

"Hey! Hey! Hey! I'll be here by your side. So if you have a dream, I'll wake you up, okay?"

She looked a bit assured with Tony's promise and she obeyed him, laying on the bed. Tony rested his back on the bed stand and tangled his fingers in Ray's hair as she closed her eyes attempting to sleep. "Good night!" he whispered as Ray cuddled closer to him.

NEXT MORNING

Ray got up to realise that Tony was sitting at the same position as he was last night, asleep. Ray didn't have anymore dream. Tony's presence makes her feel safe. Finally she had a complete sleep and she was feeling fresh this morning. Her headache was not there. She felt far better.

"Up kiddo?" he asked Tony ones he was awake.

"Hmm..." she sleepishly replied.

"How're ya feelin'?"

"Better !"

"Freshen up! Big day today!" he said considering Ray's football match that she had today. Ray jumped off her bed and rushed to her bathroom to do her regular choars and Tony couldn't help but smile at his sister's excitement.

Ray came out of her bathroom, brushed her hair and tied it into a tight plait. She had her match at 9:30 and she had to report at 8 o'clock now, that she still had an hour and half left before she would have to go to school.

Suddenly her eyes shifted to her bed table. A box was kept and a note on top of it.

"Kick their asses. Be a superhero!"

-Tony

She opened the box to reveal a pair of amazing snickers. 'So sweet of him' she thought and chuckled at the feeling of kicking the asses of the opponent. She put on her new snickers and happy drove her to school. Tony would come some time later.

"Nice shoes!"said Edmund ones he met Ray.

"Thanks! Tony brought them for me." Ray replied.

"Wow, you're so lucky." He said.

They had their attendance taken and then had a half an hour team meeting before the match.

AT THE MATCH

Rayne's POV

I made my way to the field. "Alright, here it comes." Said Precillia loudly.

"All the best guys!" exclaimed our coach. We had lost the toss, which meant that the Sunrisers had the opening strike. I took my position. I looked at the stands to look for Tony. Late as always. "Soccer is not a girl's game." I heard someone say. I turned around to see Macky, the captain of the opposition. "We'll see!" I replied in short. "What happened? You scared to answer me?" he teased. "When I'm on the field, my ball speaks not my mouth." I said with a cold look on my face. "We'll see." He said walking away. I rolled my eyes. **(A/N: Okay, here's the description of the foot ball match. I'm not describing matches, so, excuse me.")** The referee blew his whistle and the game started I rushed towards the ball. I was blocked by one of the opponent members but i overtook him and made my way towards the ball. "Come on Eddy!" screamed Lizzy as Ed had almost snatched the ball but to our surprise the other team guy stuck his leg out causing Ed to fall. I helped Ed up. "You okay?" I asked before turning to the referee. "It was a foul!" I said but he didn't respond.

We went back to our positions. The referee was about to blow his whistle but she was cut off by a high pitched scream. It was a girl from the opposing team. I followed her gaze to where she was looking and saw Tony and Pepper. Tony seeing me waved at me and I waved back. Suddenly I felt all eyes staring at me specially the opponents. I couldn't help but smirk. "You got them." Said Chris.

"The game resumed, this time I had the ball and I dodged everyone on the way to face the goal. "Do it!" screamed Ed. I swiftly went past the guy and goal! The first goal of the match. I turned around and winked at Macky. I could see him boil.

The referee blew his whistle again. I had the ball again. I was about to pass it to Melany when Macky hit me causing me to fall painfully with my knee twisted. "Aaaah!", I said. The referee showed him a yellow card. I couldn't stand up by myself. Melony had to help me stand . "Should have a Red Card." Said Ross and we agreed to him.

"Listen guys. These idiots are goanna hurt you. We need to be really careful." Said Presillia.

"But we can'r win like this if all of our good players get out of the field!" exclaimed Ed.

"He's right!" said Chris.

"Then what do we do?" asked Precillia.

"We play their way." I said gaining their attention.

"What?"

"They hit you ones, you hit them twice. They hit you twice, hit the four times." I said.

"That would get us out."

"There's no other way."

"She's right."

"You sure?"

"Yes."

"Then lets do it."

The referee blew the wistle and the game started Our strategy seemed to work. I dodged a few players and Ed covered me. No one was able to come near me with Ed's guard. I had a n easy shot and goal again! 2-1. "Keep it up!" yelled coach.

"Before the game resumed I saw macky talking to two of his players. "Be careful." I told him. "Something does not look nice." He nodded.

The game resumed and Ed ad the ball. "Pass it. Ed." I said. AS planned I had the ball and I went towards the goal when the two guys came. One of them blocked Ed and the other pretending to fall tackled me down hitting me on the same knee. I fell there clutching my knee that was paining. "Rayne, are you okay?" my team mates approached me. "No" I said honestly. "My leg hurts." The paramedics came and helped me out of the field. I saw Macky smirk. At that moment, all I wanted was to hit his ass.

"Rayne, I'll sand a substitute." Said coach. I was about to argue but he gave me a stern look. I sighed and sat on my place. I saw my team members struggle to get the ball, going to the goal was a different story.

Normal POV

Pepper tried to read both the faces of the siblings. Tony looked worried while Ray looks really annoyed. If looks could have killed the other members would have been dead. 'Shit' she heard her exclaim loudly. "Come on, guys!" she said again. "They are cheating!" she shouted on the referee ones when he came on her side. Then the opposition did another goal. I could see the frustration on her face. 2-all was the score. There was a goal again making the score 2-3.

Ray jumped up from her seat and went to the coach. "Coach I want to play." She said.

"Ray, I understand what you are feeling but you are hurt."

"Coach, but we are losing!"

"I can't do anything."

"Yes you can! Let me play."

"Ray there a few rules that I need to follow. I am the one responsible for your safety."

"Coach if anything happens then it's my responsibility. This is our last chance please."

"Okay."

Last 20 minutes, I was on the field. Tony gave me his ' _What the hell are you doing'_ look. But i had to do this! I gave him an assuring look.

"You sure about this" asked Ed.

"Surely." I said trying to act confident. "Let's do this!"

I saw the captain guy stare at me. I rolled my eyes. The whistle was blown and we were in attacking mode. "Milly pass the ball." Said Ed. I covered him and he dodged across with ball to the goal. He hit it hard and goal! 3- all was the score.

"That's it, Ed!" I exclaimed. ' _Ouch! My knee hurts.'_ I realised. I shrugged the feeling off.

The game was on. Around 4 minutes left. We had to hurry to win, we couldn't depend on a penalty shoot-out. I had the ball this time. I saw the two nasty guys who had hit me, follow me. I was in front of the goal but the blocked me together. "Molly!" I called and passes the ball to her. The guys had ran to her when she passed the ball to me again. Now, I had a clear shot. It was an easy and clean goal! The whistle was blown and the game ended. _'We won!'_ I mentally said. Yes!

TIME JUMP

We were sitting in the team dressing room chatting about today's match. Molly was holding the cup, admiring it. Everyone was really happy and smiling except the paramedic checking my knee. "Lift your leg." She said.

"Oou!" I exclaimed in pain. It was black and swollen.

"Can you walk and show me?"

"No!"

"That's bad."

"Your brother's not goanna be happy about this." Said Peter.

"Yeah, it looks bad." Said Jess.

"Hmm."I said sadly.

"You may need an X-ray."

"Shit!" I said.

"Your brother's goanna freak out."

"Come on. How much would he freak? Ray after all is the player of the match!" said Ed.

"Actually, he is always like that. Overprotective." I said. They looked interested in what I was about to say next so I continued."When I was around 11 I had cold. I was coughing and sneezing all day!" I sighed remembering how irritating it was to cough all the time and have those sore throats. "I had fever, my head ached and I threw out almost everything I ate. Though I had a nanny then, tony was always running after me to see if I needed anything. He got me every food I liked but I could eat none. I couldn't sleep so he bought me flowers to cheer me up. And when I finally fell asleep he stayed awake to check on me. And the funniest part..." I paused for a moment. "when I recovered Tony had got himself on bed with flu, cancelling all his meetings and appointments for a week." They smiled as I shared my memory. "Your bro is possessive." Said Pete.

"Well he has all reasons to be." I said remembering about my parents. "Aaaah!" I yelled as the paramedic pressed my leg. "Sorry!" she said.

"That looks horrible!" I heard Tony say. I turn around my head to look at him.

"Oh my God!" I heard someone scream. We all turned to find Cate. "Sorry!" she said trying to hide her blush that had formed seeing Tony. She ran off in full speed. Tony gave me a 'S _eriously?'_ look before walking up to me staring at my knee with disgust.

"Don't worry." I was about to say but the paramedic beat me by saying. "She may need an X-ray." I gave her a death glare.

"Don't tell me that you are fine and all that bull shit!" he scolded.

"We should go home now." Said Ed.

"Yeah I agreed." And attempted to stand up. "Aah!" I almost fell. "You surely are fine. " said Ed. I rolled my eyes.

"Come on, kiddo. Need to go." Tony helped me on my way to the car.

 **So that was Chapter 12. Love you guys. Thanks for reading.**

 **Bye till then.**

 **ImaginationsUnleashed**


	13. Chapter 13

**Hey everyone! Yes, I am alive. I know! I know! I was gone for so long that you must have thought that I was dead, isn't it? Sorry for that. I had my exams so I had been studying too hard. Anyways I am finally free and I will try my best to post regularly.**

 **Chapter 13**

 **Rayne's POV**

Pissed. That's what I was as I limped to my room as Tony helped me. I had got a crape bandage around my knee as the knee cap was slightly misplaced.

FLASHBACK

"Don't worry, it wouldn't hurt a bit." Assured the bald doctor with an over friendly smile. I was sitting down on the examination bed and Tony was standing a few feet away. "We just need to place the bone in its proper place."

"You better do that fast!" I said irritated.

"You wouldn't even know when I did it." He said suddenly pulling my leg as the knee bone came in place with a jolting sound. "Aaaah!" I shouted.

"It's going to be fine now." Said Tony approaching me putting his hand on my shoulder.

"You should have given a warning!" I snapped at the doctor.

"I did what I thought was right, miss." He said.

"Well it isn't right to pull someone's leg that too without their permission!"

"But your leg is fine now, isn't it?" Tony popped in.

"Shut up!" I snapped. "You knew it would hurt but you too didn't warn me. What kind of a brother are you?"

"Don't shout at me I didn't ask you to play the match with an injured knee!"

"Now don't you start giving me your lecture!" I said angrily. I had almost forgotten about my and had jumped down causing me to fall and this time on hard marble floor. "Oou!"

END OF FALSHBACK

That night Tony bought my food in my room as I wasn't able to walk properly and we ate together laughing and chatting as we always did.

TIME JUMP

"JARVIS, where's Tony?" I asked.

"He went out to do some work, ma'am."

I looked at the clock. It read 9:30. "Where?" I asked curiously.

"That I'm not authorized to say."

"Did he go in his Iron Man suit?"

"That too I'm not authorized to say."

"That's means he did."

This time the A.I didn't reply. _Where could he have possibly gone?_ I thought. Finding noting else to do I pulled out my diary and started analyzing the device I had been working on.

TIME JUMP

It was around 15 to 1, I heard a sound of metal crashing on hard floor and I knew it was Tony. I went down the stairs to the workspace as fast as I could. I found Tony on the floor with his suit on. "Tone?" I said rushing to him. I noticed bullet marks on his suit. That kind of gave me thrills.

"Ray," he said within his deep breaths still trying to sound normal but obviously failing in it, "umm... the suit is jammed. Would you mind to give me a hand?"

I obeyed. I slowly and steadily opened his helmet. "Shit! Are you okay?" I asked as I saw blood on his face. He was quite injured.

"Yeah, I'm just out of breath." He said.

"Yes... yes I can see that." I said. I was panicking. I never knew what to do in these kinds of situations. "Dummy give me a hand will you?" I said as I went on removing his chest plate. Removing it manually was a pain but he couldn't possibly stand up in his present condition considering the suit without power is quite heavy. When I was competed removing the suit I helped him stand up as he slowly went up the stairs to his room.

As he sat on the bed he smiled to assure me that he is fine but it was useless to do so. The left side of his black T-Shirt was bloody and several other cuts on his body. I had to be worried! "How did you get these?" I asked placing a wet towel on his neck where he was still bleeding.

"Hey, why aren't you asleep?" he asked absolutely ignoring my question.

"Stop changing the topic!" I snapped at him. He rolled his eyes and turned his head on the other side. I didn't speak either. Sometimes I feel mad at him. He always does what he considers is right, no matter what others think about it. I was sick of it, simply sick of attitude and stubbornness.

By the time I had completed cleaning his wounds, Tony's exaustion had got him asleep. I sat there staring at him before I drifted to sleep.

Next morning I woke up realising that Tony was playing with my hair. "Morning kiddo!" he said.

"Morning." I said rather dully. I was disappointed. I walked out. I don't know what he thought or felt. Right now I wasn't in the position to think of that. I felt my hear aching. I wanted along shower and maybe some asprin.

 **NORMAL POV**

Tony sighed as Rayne went out of his room. He knew Ray was scared, probably angry on him since last night but he really had nothing to do. He felt responsible to destroy the extremis camps. He felt responsible for all the deaths that was taking place. Right now all he knew was that he had to put an end to this. He couldn't sleep until then. He had been out most of the night destroying extremis camps in Afghanistan who were spreading terror in Yeinsen's village and the ones neighbouring it. If he hadn't done it, so many lives would have been lost and he couldn't help bt find himself guilty for it.

Ray, when came down for breakfast, ate in silence. Tony knew that she wasn't the type who would remain quite even for a minute unless she is working on something. He didn't want to worry her but what could he possibly do about it?

Ray finally spoke up in the car on her way to school. "Tony, wherewere you last night."

"I went out." Tony replied.

"I know that you went out. What my question is, is that where the hell did you go out yesterday ?" She snapped.

"You'll know it when it is the right time."

"Right time? What are we waiting for alignment of stars here?" she shouted. "Listen Tony, I'm already freaked out and whatever you are doing is freaking me more! Why don't you just tell me where you were." She restrained her tears. That didn't remain unnoticed to Tony. He stopped the car with a jolt. Whatever Ray was saying wasn't new to him but he couldn't ignore the fact that even if he told him about it she would eventually worry. He pulled her into a comforting hug. "Ray all this will be over soon. I promise. Don't worry. I am fine and everything's under control."

"Yeah, you kind of gave me a glimpse of that last night." She rolled her eyes.

"I know you were scared. But don't worry, please. For the first time, Ray , I know what I am doing. Just trust me."

Ray nodded and finally untangled herself from her brother's hug. Tony dropped her to school. "I love you." she said before leaving.

 **So that's chappie 13. I hope you liked it. I saw The Judge today. God, it was awesome. I really really love Robert Downey Jr. He is the best and Hank Palmer was so adorable wasn't he?**

 **And an update. I was thinking of publishing a fanfiction of Gothika. Don't worry, its already written. So it wouldn't affect the flow of this one. Tell me what do you think.**

 **Bye till then.**

 **ImaginationsUnleashed**


	14. Chapter 14

**SO here I am back with another update of I am IRON MAN. See? I keep my promises. I am back within a day of my last update. I wouldn't take much time of yours, just carry on with the new chapter.**

 **Chapter 14**

 **Tony's POV**

I was working in my workspace when Pepper came in."Hey!" she said

"Hey!" I replied." You busy? You mind if I send you on an errand? " I said as she approached. "I need you to go to my office. You're going to hack into the mainframe and you're going to retrieve all the recent shipping manifests. This is a lock chip. This'll get you in. It's probably under Executive Files. If not, they put it on a ghost drive,

in which case you need to look for the lowest numeric heading." I explained.

" And what do you plan to do with this information if I bring it back here? "

"Same drill. They've been dealing under the table,

and I'm going to stop them. I'm going to find my weapons and destroy them."

"Tony," she said, "you know that I would help you with anything, but I cannot help you if you're going to start all of this again."

"There is nothing except this. There's no art opening. There is no benefit. There is nothing to sign. There is the next mission and nothing else."

"Is that so? Well, then, I quit." She threw the pen drive on the table.

"You stood by my side all these years while I reaped the benefits of destruction. And now that I'm trying to protect the people that I put in harm's way, you're going to walk out?" I asked.

"You're going to kill yourself, Tony! I'm not going to be a part of it." She said.

"I shouldn't be alive, unless it was for a reason." I spoke my heart. "I'm not crazy, Pepper. I just finally know what I have to do. And I know in my heart that it's right."

"You're all I have, too, you know." She said walking away with the pen drive as I stare at her.

 **NORMAL POV**

Pepper walked into the Stark Industries main building and directly made on the main frame computer. She inserted the ghost drive that Tony gave her as her access is granted.

"Sector 16? What are you up to, Obadiah?"she said as she played a video.

"You did not tell us that the target you paid us to kill was the great Tony Stark. - As you can see, Obadiah Stane..." the voice of a man went on. _Oh, my God!_ "... your deception and lies will cost you dearly. The price to kill Tony Stark has just gone up." He started transferring all data.

"So, what are we going to do about this?"suddenly Obadiah came in. "I know what you're going through, Pepper. Tony, He always gets the good stuff, doesn't he?" he said faking a smile but now all she could see was an evil grin. She placed a newspaper on the ghost drive to hide it from Obadiah.

"I was so happy when he came home." He continued. "It was like we got him back from the dead. Now I realize, well, Tony never really did come home, did he? He left a part of himself in that cave. Breaks my heart."

"Well, he's a complicated person. He's been through a lot. I think he'll be all right." She said.

"You are a very rare woman. Tony doesn't know how lucky he is." He walked up to her taking a look at the computer screen.

"Thank you. Thanks." She said unplugging the ghost drive. "I'd better get back there." She was about to walk out when Obadiah called back. "Is that today's paper?" he asked.

"Yes."

"Do you mind?" he asked for the news paper from her.

"Not at all."

"Puzzle."

"Of course."

"Take care."

"Ms. Potts?" Agent Coulsen, who was waiting outsisde, approached her. "We had an appointment. Did you forget about our appointment?"

"Nope, right now. Come with me."

"Right now?"

"We're going to have it right now. Yeah, walk with me."

"Okay."

"I'm going to give you the meeting of your life. Your office."

TIME JUMP

Obadiah Stane walked into the Sector 6 zone of Stark Industries where his scientists were working on minimizing the size of the arc reactor "Mr. Stane? Sir, we've explored what you've asked us, and it seems as though there's a little hiccup."

"A hiccup?"

"Yes, to power the suit, sir, the technology actually doesn't exist. So it's..."

He was cut short by Obadiah. "Wait, wait, wait. The technology? William, here is the technology. I've asked you to simply make it smaller."

"Okay, sir, and that's what we're trying to do, but honestly, it's impossible."

"Tony Stark was able to build this in a cave! With a box of scraps!" he shouted at him.

"Well, I'm sorry. I'm not Tony Stark."

TIME JUMP

 **Rayne's POV**

Woah! That was stress relieving. I was feeling sick all day. It was actually my stress making me sick. So me and my friends went to Jessy's house and spent some time together and here I am, feeling fresh, far better that that I was feeling today morning.

I walked into my house lazily after Happy dropped me home. "Tony?" I said shocked. He was sitting on the sofa his arc reactor not there. I rushed to him. "Where's your reactor?" I said but he didn't reply but he was trying to say me something. I noticed he was looking behind me with horror striken eyes. I turned around but only saw Obadiah and before I could react felt a blow on my head. "It's too late now, Tony." I heard him say before I blacked out.

 **Normal POV**

Ton saw in horror as Obadiah hit his sister unconscious as she fell on the floor with the left side of her fore hear bleeding. "It's too late, Tony. It's all over." He said. "I...I could have spared Pepper, if not your sister. It's a pity you dragged her in this too. Your sister though had no chance =, she was against me from the beginning. I don't know what problem she had with me. She didn't even let me take her guardianship when I got you kidnapped!"

' _Cause she is smarter than you, you ass-hole!_ He wanted to say out loud but couldn't.

"I thought that it would be as easy as it was last time, in your case. Keeping the gun on your shoulder and shooting it while you took the hits. But this is better in other ways, isn't it? I get full dominance." He walked to him. "No one will come for you, Tony. It's the end of the Starks and the beginning of the Stanes!" he walked away with his reactor.

When Tony got back control over his muscles he tried to stand but fell due to fatigue. I almost dragged himself towards Ray and placed his figure on her neck. He felt a pulse. He gave a breath of relief. Then he practically dragged himself to the elevator that took him to the garage. He had kept Pepper's gift, old his arc reactor on the table. _Thank god Pepper didn't destroy it!_ He thought. He reached the table but fell on the floor ]. HE was feeling choaked. He wasn't getting the oxygen supply he needs. He felt defeated as lay on the floor. That's when Dummy brought case of the arc reactor to him. "Good boy." He said.

TIME JUMP

Rhodey came down to Tony's garage to find him lying down on the floor. He rushed to him to help him. "Tony! Tony! Are you okay?" he said approaching him helping him up.

"Ray, get Ray!" Tony said taking heavy and quick breaths.

"What? Where is she, what happened?"

"Main hall, please, fast!"

Rhodey obeyed as he rushed out of the door. "Rhodey!" Tony called. "Where's Pepper?"

"She's fine. She's with five agents. They are about to arrest Obadiah." He replied.

"That' not going to be enough."

 **Rayne's POV**

I felt something being dabbed being my head as I opened my eyes to see Rhodey. "Rhodey?" I whispered trying to recall what happened and the shouted at ones as I gained my senses. "Rhodey, where's Tony?"

"He flew to the Industries in his suit."

"Shit! Take me there!" I said.

"What? No, no, no, no, not at all. You need rest and a doctor. The bleeding of your head has just stopped."

"Rhodey, you have no idea about this situation. Tony's goanna get himself killed!"

"But he has his suit."

"Obadiah has the better technology!" I exclaimed. Rhodey looked a little confused but then agreed.

I rushed to Pepper who standing in the front gate of the Industries. The floor tiles were was broken till the underground section and it was evident that something huge had come out of it. "Pepper!" I exclaimed as I approached her.

"Ray, what happened?"she asked noticing the cut on the side of my head and the blood on my shirt.

"Nothing." I said though it was paining like hell. My anxiety was somehow giving me strength to fight the pain. "What happened here?" I asked.

"I... I don't know. I can't explain. I...I was here with Agent Coulsen and...and suddenly Obadiah came out with a huge, huge suit and...and then tony..he..."

"Alright! Alright, I understood." I said as I saw the two suits fly in the air, Iron Man and the Iron Monger. _Oh my God!_

The fight went on a the two slammed each other, trying to gain upper hand. They fell on the terrace of the industries. Pepper's phone rang. "It's...Its Tony." She said and I instinctively took the phone from her hand. "Tony!" I exclaimed.

"Ray? Is that you? Are you okay?"

"Yeah, don't worry about me."

"Alright, Potts you hearing me?"

"Yeah."

"I'm almost out of power. I've got to get

out of this thing. I'll be right there."

"Nice try!" we heard Obadiah scream.

"Weapons status?" Tony said.

" Repulsors offline. Missiles offline." We heard Jarvis's voice.

"Flares!" Tony said.

" Girls?"

"Tony!"

"This isn't working."

"We're going to have to overload the reactor and blast the roof."

"Well, how are you going to do that?" Pepper asked.

"You both are going to do it."

"Pep, go to the connection rooms and disconnect all power connections of the reactor except the central console."

"Got it!" she said obeying what he said.

"And Ray, go to the central console, open up all the circuits. When I get clear of the roof, I'll let you know."

"Got it!"

"You're going to hit the master bypass button. It's going to fry everything up here."

"Okay. I'm going in now."

"I'll buy you some time."

"This looks important!" I heard Tony through the intercom.

"I never had a taste for this sort of thing, but I must admit, I'm deeply enjoying the suit!" Obadiah screamed. "You finally outdid yourself, Tony! You'd have made your father proud!"

"It's ready, Tone! Get off the roof!" I said

"How ironic, Tony! Trying to rid the world of weapons, you gave it its best one ever!"

"Ray!"

" You told me not to!"

" Just do it!"

" You'll die!"

"Push it!"

"No! Not with you up there!"

"Ray, do it." He said as he and Obadiah fell on the glass ceiling on top of me.

"You'll die!" This time, I cried.

"Kiddo, listen to me. If you don't do it, he'll kill me anyway. Please!"

I unwillingly obeyed and rushed out. The arc reactor started glowing bright blue before it blasted. Pepper and I stood terrified outside the half destroyed building.

NEXT MORNING

I was sitting on Tony's chair with my feet on the table. Pepper was helping Tony hide his scars from the incident last night and Agent Coulsen was standing behind.

"Mr. Stark," he approached. "Here's your alibi."

"Okay." Said Tony.

"You were on your yacht. We have port papers that put you in Avalon all night, and sworn statements from 50 of your guests."

"I was thinking maybe we should say it was just Pepper and me alone on the island."

" That's what happened."

"Hey!" he came to me. "What are you thinking?"

"I was thinking that , since you are Iron Man then I would be busy running after you so I guess I need a car."

"Car?" he said. "Why don't you earn it?" he said with a smirk.

I knew my face must have lit up and he did notice it. He gave me a hug before whispering in my ear, "Nightmares over." I smiled.

"Let's get this show on the road." He said then turning back then with full energy.

We switche don the TV to see the live telecast of Tony's press meeting as he appeared on the screen. "Been a while since I was in front of you. I figure I'll stick to the cards this time. There's been speculation that I was involved in the events that occurred on the freeway and the rooftop..." he was cut short by Catherine, the reporter I hate."I'm sorry, Mr. Stark, but do you honestly expect us to believe that that was a bodyguard in a suit that conveniently appeared, despite the fact that you..."

" I know that it's confusing." Tony cut her off, "It is one thing to question the official story, and another thing entirely to make wild accusations, or insinuate that I'm a superhero."

"I never said you were a superhero." I saw Tony tremble in his speech. He contradicted himself.

"Didn't? Well, good, because that would be outlandish and fantastic. I'm just not the hero type. Clearly."

"With this laundry list of character defects, all the mistakes I've made,"

Rhodey approached him and whispered him something. He nodded.

"The truth is..." he said taking a deep breath and then taking the cards down. "I am Iron Man."

 **Woah! I can't believe! I completed the first part if the story. I am so proud of myself. Another point to be noted, this is my longest chapter. It runs 10 pages on word. I am really happy about it.**

 **Tell me did you like it. I have got a few feed backs from my friends who have read the story but none in form of review. So guys please tell me. I promise I'll read all your messages and reply to them and I'll update soon. And yes, the next part is going to be a little bit different. So stick to me.**

 **Bye till then!**

 **ImaginationsUnleashed**


	15. Chapter 15

**Hey there! I am back again with chapter 15. I am going to divide this story into parts but I don't think that I am going to make sequels. I'll continue with the second part here. Here I think I am goanna make a little changes to the story line but I am not sure yet. Hope you stick around and keep reading.**

 **Chapter 14**

RAYNE'S POV

I drove my car across the streets of California. There hasn't been a day after I completed, making it that I didn't use it. "You earned it!" that's what Tony said when I showed it to him and why shouldn't he. I have spent weeks in planning it and it took me a week more to assemble it. I had even broken my record of working 72 hours without any sleep. Even the little food I ate was bought down to me in the garage and either Tony or pepper stuffing it in my mouth.

It had been around four months since the incident at the Industries. It had been calm after that. I still had nightmares but I was slowly gaining control over them. Naturally I have got the chance to be myself. Well in the last few weeks I had tried smoking. The smoke first had burnt my throat but then it was fine. I had been partying and yes, it has been a month since I have started dating Peter, I guy I met in a party at Molly's place and I find him to be quite charming. Of 'course Tony didn't know about it. He would probably freak out and end up being 'Dad' that I really don't appreciate.

Right now I was busted. I was freaking late. It was 11:20 and I was supposed to be home by nine. I walked to the living room to find my dearest brother sitting on the sofa. "Did you see the time?"He asked authoratively. "You are 2 hours and 20 minutes late!"

"I'm so sorry! I lost track of time. We were in Jessie's house playing video games. When I realised what time it was, I was too late!" I lied Actually, I had gone out with Peter to spend some time together.

"Never mind, let's have our dinner." Tony said. I stared at him apologetically. "What? You ate outside? Again?"

"I never knew ate so much. We had nachos. I took one bite, then two and ten and realise I was stuffed. He looked annoyed. I knew I had messed up. After all it was the fourth time this week I had came late and third time I had refused dinner. I followed him to the dining table and seated myself on it. "So, what do we have?" I said enthusiastically. "Oats!" I exclaimed with fake excitement considering both Tony I hated it. But pepper had made sure that Tony and I do not eat unhealthy food like we used to. Tony rolled his eyes. I added a little ketchup to the bowl of oats. I don't know how Tony manages to like ketchup wit oats. I think it only makes it taste worse. I held the spoon in front of his mouth for him to eat it. "Who's the baby here?" he asked with a pout.

"The one who is pouting!" I jokingly replied. "Not funny!" he said rolling his eyes. This made me giggle. "Let me show you what's funny!" he exclaimed picking me up (considering that I am quite slim and not that tall) and tackled e on the floor before tickliling me to death. "Tony...please...stop. I...can't...breathe!" I said in my shortening breaths. I almost got hiccups as I tried to catch my breath. "Okay, eat your dinner now!" I said before going to my room to freshen up.

NEXT MORNING

My alarm clock went crazy. I switched it off and turned to the other side of the bed. Summer vacations, that meant I could sleep for as long as I want. But my treasured sleep was suddenly broken by a loud sound of metal crashing coming from the workspace. I followed the sound to the workspace and found Tony stuck under the metal piece of the base of the car. He had been working below the car. "How's the view in there?" I joked.

"Umm...Ray? I little help I guess?" he said from below the car.

"Sure! Butter-fingers, give me a hand." I pulled him out.

"Aaah! I had almost lost my breath!" Tony exclaimed.

"Mr. Stark," Pepper came in, "Are you ready for today's meeting?"

"Hmm..."

"And Ray. You are coming to the Expo's flushing with me. And you stay in the stage. You've to make sure that everything goes according to the schedule, don't let your brother mess up and...and.."

"Peppy, I got this!"

"Yeah Pepper, we really got this. Don't worry. I'm here." Tony said.

"That is what I am actually worrying about." Pepper replied sarcastically and then turned to Ray. "You know you have to there by seven, right?"

"Yeah."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

NORMAL POV

Ray walked in the back stage after making sure that everything was in its proper place. "Ray, do something." Said Pepper approaching her.

"Why what's wrong?"

"Tony is refusing to make his sky diving appearance."

"What? But I thought the air carrier is above dropping level."

"Yeah it is but he isn't listening."

Ray rolled her eyes and connected her intercom to Tony's."Tony, don't mess up the stuff, okay?"

"What do you mean? I feel sick up here! The altitude so damn high! Its 15000 feet! I never felt this in the planes"

"Yeah , that's because the air planes have special supply of oxygen in them and the atmospheric pressure in it is also quite high. You have a double PhD from MIT, you should know that!"

"Yeah, I knew it! What I didn't know is that I have altitude problem."

"Okay, now stop acting like a kid and get ready to jump. Your entry is in five minutes."

"I can't!"

"Yes you can! You are Iron Man!"

Tony rolled his eyes. "Why are you girls so stubborn?"

Ray didn't reply to that. "That's a good boy!" she rather exclaimed making her way to the back of the stage where Tony was about to make his entry.

The crowd applauded when Tony came up to the stage in his iron man suit.

"It's good to be back. You missed me?" Tony said.

"Blow something up!"Someone in the crowd screamed.

"I missed you too. Blow something up? I already did that." And he went on with his speech.

"How are you doing?" Pepper asked.

"Pretty well. You?" said Ray.

"I am fine as long as everything goes on well too."

"Chill Pep! Don't take so much stress."

"Hmm..."

"Hey girls!"Tony exclaimed coming at the backstage as Howard's video was played. "I rocked it didn't I?" he said.

"Yeah you did well." Pepper said.

"Tell me, why didn't you make an appearance with me?" he asked turning to Ray.

"What, was I supposed to dive mid air with you? And you would grab me with your suit that too at an altitude of 15000 feet?"

"Pretty much."

"That's ridiculous!"

"Hey! Hey! Hey! Don't say that, okay? I have a reason why I wanted you on stage."

"Oh and exactly what is it?"

"Don't act like you dint know. The Expo. It is for you!"

Ray was shocked at what Tony had just said. "Umm...sorry?"

"Yeah...It's all yours."

"Tony! Everything we do is technically ours. Yours and mine." She said.

"Yeah... But this one is for you. Well you have to wait until you come of age."

"Ray!" Pepper called her. "I need you here."

Ray took a last look at Tony. "You are acting different, you know that?" she said before walking towards Pepper.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

The Senate"" Armed Services Committee had ordered Tony to appear at nine next day. They wanted to confiscate the Iron Man suits Naturally Tony wasn't ready to do so.

"Mr Stark, could we pick up now where we left off? Mr Stark. Please."

Ray who was sitting beside Tony poked him asking him to turn around from where he was trying to talk to Pepper who looks like she was trying to tell him off. "Yes dear?" he relied to the senator. Ray giggled while the rest of the people laughed.

"Can I have your attention?"

" Absolutely."

"Do you or do you not possess a specialised weapon?"

" I do not."

"You do not?"

"I do not. Well, it depends on how you define the word weapon."

" The Iron Man weapon."

"My device does not fit that description."

"Well… How would you describe it?"

"I would describe it by defining it as what it is, Senator."

"As?"

"It's a high-tech prosthesis." He said making everyone laugh. "That is… That is… That's actually the most apt description I can make of it."

" It's a weapon. It's a weapon, Mr Stark."

"Please, if your priority was actually the well-being of the American citizen…"

"My priority is to get the Iron Man weapon turned over to the people of the United States of America."

"Well, you can forget it. I am Iron Man. The suit and I are one. To turn over the Iron Man suit would be to turn over myself which is tantamount to indentured servitude or prostitution, depending or what state you're in. You can't have it."

"Look, I'm no expert…"

"In prostitution? Of course not. You're a senator. Come on." People laugh. He waves. But Pepper was not impressed at all. "No?" He mouths and she shakes her head.

"I'm no expert in weapons. We have somebody here who is an expert on weapons. I'd now like to call Justin Hammer, our current primary weapons contractor."

"Let the record reflect that I observed Mr Hammer entering the chamber, and I am wondering if and when any actual expert will also be in attendance." Ray spoke up this time. She practically hated this guy with a bag full of attitude.

" Absolutely. I'm no expert. I defer to you, Rayne Emily." She rolled her eyes by the way he called her name. "You and your brother are the wonder siblings. Senator, if I may. I may well not be an expert, but you know who was the expert? Your dad. Howard Stark. Really a father to us all, and to the military-industrial age. Let's just be clear, he was no flower child. He was a lion. We all know why we're here. In the last six months, Anthony Stark has created a sword with untold possibilities. And yet, he insists it's a shield. He asks us to trust him as we cower behind it. I wish I were comforted, Anthony, I really do. I'd love to leave my door unlocked when I leave the house, but this ain't Canada. You know, we live in a world of grave threats, threats that Mr Stark will not always be able to foresee. Thank you. God bless Iron Man. God bless America."

"That is well said Mr Hammer. The committee would now like to invite Lieutenant Colonel James Rhodes to the chamber."

"Rhodey? What?" Rhodey walks in, Tony gets up to greet him while Ray remains on her seat. The speak something before both of them return to their seats.

"I have before me a complete report on the Iron Man weapon, complied by Colonel Rhodes. And, Colonel, for the record, can you please read page 57, paragraph four?"

"You're requesting that I read specific selections from my report, Senator?"

"Yes, sir."

"It was my understanding that I was going to be testifying in a much more comprehensive and detailed manner."

"I understand. A lot of things have changed today. So if you could just read…"

"You do understand that reading a single paragraph out of context does not reflect the summery of my final…"

"Just read it, Colonel. I do. Thank you."

"Very well. 'As he does not operate within any definable branch of government, Iron Man presents a potential threat to the security of both the nation and to her interests.' I did however, go on to summarise that the benefits of Iron Man far outweigh three liabilities and that it would be in our interest…"

He was cut off his sentence by the senator. "That's enough Colonel."

"…to fold Mr Stark…" though he tried to continue.

"That's enough."

"...into the existing chain of command, Senator."

" I'm not a joiner, but I'll consider Secretary of Defence, if you ask nice" Tony piped in making the crowd laugh again as he winked at Ray.

"We can amend the hours a little bit."

"I'd like to go on and show, if I may, the imagery that's connected to your report."

"I believe it is somewhat premature to reveal these images to the general public at this time."

"With all due respect, Colonel, I understand. And if you could just narrate those for us, we'd be very grateful. Let's have the images."

"Intelligence suggests that the devices seen in these photos are, in fact, attempts at making manned copies of Mr Stark's suit. This has been corroborated by our allies and local intelligence on the ground…" Rhodey went on. Tony eyed Ray and then whispered something in her ears as she nodded. She stared doing something on a Stark device. "Hold on a second buddy. Let me see something here." She says and sets up the device to connect with the screen showing the pictures. "Boy, I'm good. I commandeered your screens. I need them. Time for a little transparency. Now, let's see what's really going on." She said. Tony smiled at how bad ass she was being when she was speaking.

"What is she doing?"

"If you will direct your attention to said screens, I believe that's North Korea." Video of a suit. It falls over and clearly doesn't work very well at all.

"Can you turn that off? Take it off." Hammer stands up.

"Iran." This suit did fly for all of five seconds before crashing, judging by the smoke, probably on fire. Justin goes is by the screen, trying to find the off switch.

"No grave threat here. Is that Justin Hammer? How did Hammer get in the game?" Tony exclaimed excitedly. A video of Justin Hammer,With a suit. Again that really didn't work.

"Justin, you're on TV. Focus up."Tony said.

" Okay, give me a left twist. Left's good. Turn to the right. Oh, shit. Oh, shit." Justin finds the plug and unplugs the screen.

" Wow. Yeah, I'd say most countries, five, ten years away. Hammer Industries, twenty. " said Ray.

"I'd like to point out that that test pilot survived." Justin defended himself.

"I think we're done is the point that he's making. I don't think there's any reason…"

"The point is, you're welcome, I guess." Tony said

"For what?"

"Because I'm your nuclear deterrent. It's working. We're safe. America is secure. You want my property? You can't have it. But I did you a big favour." Tony stood up to face the crowd.

"I've successfully privatised world peace." He said raising both hands make peace signs and everyone stands up.

"Why does he have to make everything so dramatic?" Rhodey said irritated that Tony never takes serious things seriously.

"'Cause that's one of the very few things he is good at." Ray said in a joking tone.

"What more do you want? For now! I tried to play ball with these ass-clowns."

"Fuck you, Mr Stark. Fuckyou, buddy. We're adjourned. We're adjourned for today." Said the senator

Tony puts on sunglasses. Rhodey's still sitting down and has the same look on his face as Pepper did andn Ray walked up to Pepper.

"I thought you were supposed to make sure he doesn't do anything stupid!" Pepper said.

"He didn't do anything stupid." Ray said in an obvious tone.

"My bond is with the people. And I will serve this great nation at the pleasure of myself. If there's one thing I've proven it's that you can count on me to pleasure myself." Tony went on as Ray approached him. "That' enough for today Tone." She said with a wide smile on her face.

 **ImaginationsUnleashed.**


	16. Chapter 16

**Hey everyone! I'm back again with the next chapter of I am iron man. I wouldn't take much of your time here. Here's the chapter. Hope you enjoy it!**

 **Chapter 16**

 **NORMAL POV**

"Wake up, Daddy's home." Said Tony switching on the computers in his workspace.

"Welcome home, sir." Greeted his obedient A.I Jarvis, "Congratulations on the opening ceremonies. They were such a success, as was your Senate hearing. And may I say how refreshing it is to finally see you in a video with your clothing on, sir."

Tony turns to butter-fingers where it was trying to make a smoothie without a blender lid as it scatters all the smoothie on the table and in the wall. "You!" he called as butter-fingers knocks over the blender. "I swear to God I'll dismantle you. I'll soak your motherboard. I'll turn you into a wine rack." Butter-fingers leans down as if it was sad.

"How many ounce a day of this gobbledegook am I supposed to drink?" Tony asked taking a drink from his glass.

"We are up to 80 ounces a day to counteract the symptoms, sir."

"Check palladium levels." He said punching his thumb on the blood tester.

"Blood toxicity, 24%. It appears that the continued use of the Iron Man suit is accelerating your condition. Another core has been depleted." Said Jarvis.

Tony takes Arc Reactor out of chest. The core pops out, rusted and slightly smoking. "God, they're running out quick." He said realising that he was running out of time. The palladium in his blood was killing him."I have run simulations on every known element, and none can serve as a viable replacement for the palladium core." Jarvis informed as Tony puts the new arc reactor in the socket of his chest. He felt a sudden flow of energy through his body as he let out a deep breath to let the pain subside. "You are running out of both time and options. Unfortunately, the device that's keeping you alive is also killing you." Jarvis boomed in his head. He lifts his t-shirt up in front of the camera to see the image of his chest in the screen. He flinched seeing the cracks formed around the arc reactor. The skin in his chest region was drying. "Miss Potts is approaching. I recommend that you inform her…" Jarvis was about to say but Tiny shushed him as he puts his shirt down. "Mute."

"Is this a joke? What are you thinking?" Pepper angryly approached."

"What?"Tony asked confused.

"What are you thinking?"

"Hey, I'm thinking I'm busy. And you're angry about something. Do you have the sniffles? I don't want to get sick."

"You let Ray just donate…"

"Keep your business."

"…our entire modern art collection to the…"

"Boy Scouts of America." Tony completed with an obvious expression on his face.

"…Boy Scouts of America?" Pepper said in a disgusted tone.

"Yes. It is a worthwhile organisation. I didn't physically check the crates but, basically, yes. And it's not "our" collection, it's Ray's collection. No offence."

"No, you know what? I think I'm actually entitled to say "our" collection considering the time that I put in, over 10 years, curating that." Pepper said.

"It was a tax write-off. We needed that."

"You know, there's only about 8,011 things that I really need to talk to you about. The Expo is a gigantic waste of time."

"There's nothing more important to me than the Expo. It's my primary point of concern. I don't know why you're…"

"The Expo is your ego gone crazy."

Tony picks up a painting. Of Iron Man ." Wow!" he exclaimed looking at it. " Look at that. That's modern art. That's going up."

" You've got to be kidding!" exclaimed Pepper.

"I'm gonna put this up right now. This is vital." He walks excitedly.

"Stark is in complete disarray. You understand that?"

"No. Our stocks have never been higher."

"Yes, from a managerial standpoint."

"You are… Well, if's messy then let's double back."

"Let me give you an example. Let's move onto another subject."

"No, no, no, no. You are not taking down the Barnett Newman and hanging that up."

"I'm not taking it down. I'm just replacing it with this." Tony is stands up on a desk takes down the Barnett Newman to painting and puts the Iron Man picture up. "Let's see what I can get going on here." He said.

"Okay, fine. My point is we have already awarded contracts to the wind farm people."

"Yeah. Don't say 'wind farm' I'm already feeling gassy."

"And to the plastic plantation tree, which was your idea by the way. Those people are on payroll…"

"Everything was my idea." Tony exclaimed,

"…and you won't make a decision."

"I don't care about the liberal agenda any more. It's boring. Boring. I'm giving you a boring alert." He said jumping down the desk. "You do it."

"I do what?"

"Excellent idea. I just figured this out. You run the company." He said.

"Yeah, I'm trying to run the company."

"Pepper, I need you to run the company. Well, stop trying to do it and do it."

"You will not give me the information…"

"I'm not asking you to try…"

"…in order to…"

"I'm asking you to physically do it. I need you to do it."

"I am trying to do it." Right now, Pepper was feeling mad.

"Pepper, you're not listening to me!" Tony exclaimed.

"No, you are not listening to me." She argued.

"I'm trying to make you CEO. Why won't you let me?" he said giving Pepper shock. "Have you been drinking?"

"Aaa...Chlorophyll." he said. "I hereby irrevocably appoint you chairman and CEO of Stark Industries and ray would be under your guidance. When she comes of age she would get her placed and right now she is head of the research wing, effective immediately. Yeah, done deal. Okay? I've actually given this a fair amount of thought, believe it or not.Doing a bit of headhunting, so to speak, trying to figure out who I can trust enough to give the company considering Ray is a kid and I don't want to put so much stress on her right now. She is yet to learn. And then I realised it's you. It's always been you." Tony pours champagne. Pepper sits down, shocked and confused. _"_ I thought there'd be a legal issue, but actually I'm capable of appointing my successor to the company. I trust you enough and I'm sure Ray does too." He hands her a glass but she doesn't take it. "Congratulations? Take it, just take it."

"I don't know what to think Did you ask Ray?"

"No. No I didn't. But I'll tell her. Don't think, drink. There you go"

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Tony walked up into Ray's room where she was scribbling in her diary, something she had been working on but didn't want to show him. "Hey kiddo! Watcha doin'?"

"Scribbling." She said in a calm voice. "You want something?"

"No, can't I walk in your room incase I don't want anything?"

"Yeah, you surely can. But right now you sound like you have something to say." She said turning towards him with an 'I-know-you-very-well'expression.

"Yeah, you're right. I've got to tell you something." He walked around the room and seated himself beside her on the chair. "You know that I completely trust your capacity and know that you are a genius just like me, right?"

"umm..." was all that Ray said. She felt confused that why he was saying all that.

"I've taken a decision... I think that I, as the CEO of Stark Expo am quite inactive and that I really am not able to devote so much time to the company that is needed." Ray nodded. "So... I was thinking if I could appoint Pepper as the new CEO and I want you to stay under her guidance. You would be the head of the research wing and when you come of age you'll have your share of the Stark wealth."

"What?" was her first reaction. "What are you talking about?"

"Ray, please, try to understand. You can trust Pepper. She is the best person I can think..."

"No! No! No! No! I'm not saying that! Pepper is fine. I'm cool with it. But why put me under Pepper's guidance when I have you?"

"'Cause I think she's responsible enough and she cares about you like I do...and..."

"You are technically giving away all your responsibilities to Pepper? Can I ask why?"

"No Ray you're getting it wrong."

"Why can' I be in your guidance?"

"Ray come on! Why are you asking so many questions? It's not that I wouldn't be there if you need me. I'm still your legal guardian. It's just I want to make sure that incase there is a crisis, you have everything you need."

"Crisis? Tony! You're not going away!" Tony felt a pang in his chest. How could he possibly explain her? He was dieing and he wanted to make sure she had everything she needed when he is gone. "What are you nit telling me Tony?" she asked, reading his expression.

"Nothing Ray, really! I just... things are not the same now and... and I just want to make sure that we are prepared for the worst."

Ray flinched. She had been sensing changes in her brother in the past few days. She tried to brush the thought off but today Tony was acting really weird. She couldn't keep the fact unnoticed that he was worried about something. "You sure about that?" she asked.

"Yup! Pretty much!"

"The notary's here! Can you please come sign the transfer paperwork?" Pepper said walking in the room where Tony and Happy were boxing.

"See? You were worrying for nothing! Ray is fine with my decision, isn't it kiddo?" Said Tony walking up to Pepper out of the boxing ring. A red headed woman walks into the room (A/N:I'm sure you guys know who she is. Watch the movie in case you don't.) with a young blonde guy. "I need you to initial each box." Said the lady.

"What's your name lady?"asked Tony.

"Rushman. Natalie Rushman." She replied.

"She's my P.A."said Pepper and turned to the blonde, " and thats probably John, Ray's P.A."

"Nice o meet you sir." Said John.

"Hellow there John." Said Tony.

"Be ready for the party day tomorrow. And Ray," Pepper turned to her, "No excuses, I want you there."

"Yes ma'am."she said in a joking tone.

 **That's all for today. I know it's shorter than usual but I think it's a nice place to stop because if I don't, I don't know how long this chapter will run. So bye! I'll update soon.**


	17. Chapter 17

**Hey everyone! I am back with yet another chapter of I am Iron Man. Just a quick note before I start, in the last chapter I wrote 'party' instead of the name 'Grand Prix'. Actually Ii had forgotten the name. From now onwards I am going to write Garnd Prix.**

 **Here's Chapter 17 for you all.**

 **Chapter 17**

"You know, it's Europe. Whatever happens the next 20 minutes, just go with it." Tony said to Pepper as it was her first time she was attending a public gathering as CEO and she was not used to it.

"Go with it? Go with what?" she asked.

"Mr Stark? Hello. How was your flight?"

"It was excellent. Boy, it's nice to see you."

"We have one photographer from the ACM, if you don't mind. Okay?"

"When did this happen?"

"What? You made me do it."

"I made you do what?"

"You quit. Smile. Look, right there. Stop acting constipated. Don't flare your nostrils." Ray popped in the conversation.

"You are so predictable." Said Pepper.

"That's the amazing thing. "

"Right this way." Natalie helped them on their way to their seats.

"You look fantastic." Commented Tony.

"Why, thank you very much."

"But that's unprofessional. What's on the docket?"

"You have a 9:30 dinner." informed Natalie.

"Perfect. We'll be there at 11:00." Said Tony.

"Absolutely."

"Is this us?"asked Ray.

"It can be." Replied Natalie.

" Make it us." She said

"Okay."

"Mr Musk. How are you?" Pepper went on to greet someone followed by Ray and Pepper who shook hands with Mr. Musk as Tony had a short chat with Mr. Musk about his slot in the Expo. They walk together to the counter chatting when Justin Hammer's head pops out. "Anthony. Is that you?" he exclaimed.

" My least favourite person on Earth." Tony said to Ray and Pepper making a disgusted face and then turning to Hammer with a fake smile as he greets, "Hey, pal!"

"Justin Hammer."

"How you doing? You're not the only rich guy here with a fancy car. You know Christine Everhart from _Vanity Fair_. You guys know each other?" He said as Everheart appears from among the people.

"Hi. Yes." She said.

"Yes." Replied Pepper.

"Yes, roughly."

" ." said Ray.

"We do." Completed Pepper.

"By the way, big story. The new CEO of Stark Industries." Said Hammer.

"I know, I know. My editor will kill me if I don't grab a quote for our Powerful Women issue." Said Cristine. "Can I?"

"Sure." Said Pepper while both Tony and Ray mentally cursed her for popping from no where!

"She's actually doing a big spread on me for _Vanity Fair_. I thought I'd throw her a bone, you know. Right?" said Justin, showing off though no one actually cared about that.

"Right. Well, she did quite a spread on Tony last year." Said Pepper.

" And she wrote a story as well." Added Ray.

"It was very impressive." Said Pepper while Ray gave a look that meant that she thought exactly opposite.

"That was good." Said Tony.

"It was very well done."

"Thank you." said Christine.

"I'm gonna go wash." Said Pepper going away.

"Pep, wait for me!" said Ray escaping too.

"Don't leave me." Said Tony but she ignored.

"Hey, buddy. How you doing?" said Justin.

"I'm all right." Replied Tony.

"Looking gorgeous." He said.

"Please, this is tough." Said Tony with pure sarcasm.

" Can I ask you… Is this the first time…" Catherine spoke up. While Justin puts his arm around Tony posing for a camera while Tony puts on sunglasses and tries to escape.

"…that you guys have seen each other?" Christine continued.

"God, that's so awful." Said Tony annoyed to be left alone among these people.

"Listen, is it the first time you've seen each other since the Senate?" asked Christine.

"Since he got his contract revoked…" said Tony

"Actually, it's on hold." Corrected Justin.

"…when you were attempting to…That's not what I heard. What's the difference between 'hold' and 'cancelled'? The truth?" said Tony.

"Yes, what is it?" asked Christine.

"No. The truth is… Why don't we put that away? The truth is, I'm actually hoping to present something at your Expo." Justin said.

'In your weirdest dreams', Tony mentally said."Well, if you invent something that works, I'll make sure I get you a slot." He said instead.

"Mr Stark?" approached Natalie.

"Yes?"

"Your corner table is ready."

"I actually have a slot this year. Yes, I do." Said Justin but Tony ignored and got up. "Hammer needs a slot, Christine." He said while walking off.

"We kid, yeah. We kid. We're kidders." Said Justin

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Tony walked into the washroom and does another test by punching his thumb on the blood tester. _Blood toxicity 53%._ It read. He sucks his finger and looks at his reflection on the mirror, "Got any other bad ideas?" He said.

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Ray and Pepper were sitting on their seats when their attention shifted to the T.V. Tony was in a racing suit, jumping over the barrier towards a car. "Well, what's the use of having and owning a race car if you don't drive it?

"Bad idea!", exclaimed Ray.

" Natalie. Natalie!" called Pepper.

"Yes, Ms Potts?"

"What do you know about this?"

"This is the first that I have known of it."

" This, this cannot happen."

"Absolutely. I understand."

The race takes off as the cars zoom in the race track. "He's not bad after all!" said Ray as Pepper stared at the screen. "Don't you dare encourage him in this!" warned Pepper but Ray didn't reply but concentrated on the screen. What she didn't expect was to see was a man in orange, enter the race track and walk towards the cars. Within a moment the man had hit an incoming car as it broke into two pieces and flew atleast a feet above the ground before falling down with a crash. "Oh my god!" Exclaimed Pepper. She was terrified. "We need to get a car." Said Ray and jumped off her seat and rushed out quite instinctively closely followed by Pepper.

Ray got into the driving seat of a car. "Oh no no no no! Ray you are not driving." Said Pepper.

"Pepper, just get into the car and take out the case!" she said. Pepper obeyed. She really didn't have any choice.

"Grab on something!" Ray said as she broke through the door to the race tracks.

On the other hand, the man gets to Tony's car and hits it as Tony along with the car goes flying, losing the front. The man heads forward. Another car gets hit behind him as theyblast behind him causing huge blasts and fire. The man approaches Tony's car and slices more of it from the middle expecting to get Tony there but he's gone. Tony comes up from behind him and whacks him around the head with a sheet of metal but he gets knocked by the man's 'electric whips' on the floor. The man keeps on attacking him as he tries to scape on the other side but gets knocked down again with his face hitting the car infront of him. He sees dripping petrol from the car and the man approaching him swinging the whips through the rear view mirror. Just as he was about to hit him, Tony moves and he hits petrol and the car bursts into flames.

The man begeiins to walk towards him again when Tony notices Ray's car approaching in full speed. He runs and climbs on the fence while Raydriving runs the man into the fence.

"Are you okay?" asked Ray taking deep breaths.

"Yeah." Replied Tony. "Were you heading from me or him?"

"Him of course!" she replied.

"Are you out of your mind?" screamed Pepper from the back seat.

"Better security."

"Get in the car right now!"

"I was attacked. We need better security."

Tony, just get in the car." Ray said in a calmer voice compared to Pepper but she was terrified too.

"You're CEO. Better security measures. God, it's embarrassing." Tony said. Man's head moves. Tony opens the door. "First vacation in two years." He says with a disgusted tone.

"Yeah, we'll discuss about this later." Said Ray and just then the man slices the door in half.

"Oh my God!" exclaimed Pepper as Ray reverses a bit and runs into the man again.

"Hit him again. Hit him again.", said Tony.

"Fuck it Tony! Get in the car!" said Ray angrily.

"Give me the case" Tony said.

"Stop banging the car!" said Pepper as Ray was banging the man against the fence but the air bag coms out blocking her view. "Bull Shit!" she exclaimed. The slices the car into half.

"Calm down."

"God. God." Pepper exclaimed.

"Give me the case! Please! Come on!" said Tony as Pepper throws the case, Tony stand on it and it turns into the Iron Man Suit. He kicks the car away from the man and takes him on. Tony rips out the Arc Reactor, shutting off his suit.

 **So that's chapter 17. Only the Grand prix ran as long as 10 pages. Phew! I know I said that I would add a few edits to the story line but I think it would be better uf i add it a little later on. Stick with me. I'll be back as soon as possible.**

 **Bye till then**

 **ImaginationsUnleaashed**


	18. Chapter 18

**Chapter 18**

Pepper and Ray were sitting in the hotel room of Monaco trying to relax after the incident at the Grand Prix. Tony had gone out to see The Man who had attacked him earlier. Pepper was completely against it but tony would never listen. Ray, though on Pepper's side didn't say anything because she knew how stubborn her brother was, especially in these cases. Moreover that man had been really injured when he was taken to the prison, in such a case he should not be able to hurt or attack Tony.

Ray was right now sitting on the sofa with her legs stretched on the coffee table in front of her and her laptop on her lap, working on the proto-type of the machine she had been planning to make. She was quite engrossed in her laptop when she realised the Pepper was too quite today. "Why are you so quite?" she asked though she already knew the reason.

"Nothing Ray." She said.

"Come on, Pepper. I know you. I know you are worried. Please don't be so tensed. Everything would be fine."

"No Ray. It's not about the incident at the Grand Prix. It's just...let it go."

"Peppy, you know you can tell me anything, right?"

"Yes Ray...It's just that... Tony..."

"What about him?"

"He has been acting different."

Ray had been noticing the same thing for the past few days. Tony really had been behaving strangely but she had been ignoring the fact. "Yeah, I did but maybe it's one of the things that end up like, 'afterall it's Tony!'"

"I don't know Ray. But everything he has been doing is so unlike him."

"Like?"

"He is saving money, acting responsible especially towards you and he is drinking chlorophyll! And... he has again taken on drinking."

"Chlorophyll? Why would he drink that?"

"I have no idea. I asked him what was wrong, but he would never tell me!"

"Okay, okay Pep. I'll check on him. Don't worry."

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Ray, Pepper and Tony had flown home, to California. Ray was really excited because she would finally begin to assemble the machine she has designed. It converts ultraviolet radiations in the surroundings and converts it into preferred kind of energy. Right now she was working on sound energy. She had spent all her day in the lab making the sound emitter. This was the speciality of the Starks, they could work continuously for hours without any rest. They even had a competition on who could work longer in which Tony was presently leading with a record of 72 hours.

"Alright...Sound wave emitter, test 1. Jarvis, where are we?"

"Initializing the sequence, ma'am."

"Good, set sound level at 200000 Hz." Ray said as she put on her ear plugs.

A shock wave was sent hitting the metal poles at the other end of the room and was reflected back. "That was good; now increase it by 100 Hz." She said as another shock wave was sent."Cool!" exclaimed, "Now set it at 300000 Hz, J"

"Ma'am, sound being mechanical waves may have a drastic effect; I do not find this..."

"J, I know the physics. Feed me with something I don't know." She cut him off.

"I would just ask for a few minutes of calculations before you can actually run this test."

"No... now if you stop me ones again I'll pull out your plug." Ray said.

"I do not have a plug that you can pull out, ma'am." Ray rolled her eyes at the A.I's reply and continued with her work. "Shoot wave in 5, 4, 3, 2, 1." She said as a huge wave was sent throwing her backwards, luckily on the pile of boxes, breaking all glass objects that it hit. "Ouch!" Ray said though she wasn't badly hurt.

"Ray?"She heard footsteps come down the stairs as Tony appeared. "What was that sound and did you see the time?" he said. "How long had you been here?"

"Aaaa..."Ray thought but was lost. She didn't even know what time it was! "37 hours ma'am" Jarvis said.

"That's it. Thanks J!" she said trying to get up but fell.

"What did you break this time?" asked Tony pulling her up from the pile of boxes.

Glancing at the room she turned to hi innocently. "I think it's the windscreen of your new Audi."

"What?" he glared at her while she nervously smiled. "You blew my car?"

"I didn't mean to." She said.

Tony sighed. He didn't know what to say. "Alright...just go to bed now. Its 2o' clock." He said. "Don't forget we have the meeting with the board of directors tomorrow and you need to be there."

"Hmm..." Ray nodded making her way to her room.

 _Seriously, my new Audi?_ _She could have broken the house instead._ He mentally said before making him=s way to his own room.

Ray walked to her room. Another night to deal with. Her nightmares haunted her nights. But this time she didn't tell Tony about them. She had got a perfect medicine to stop them. Sleeping pills. Normal people may call it overdose but she was fine with it. According to her she was immuned to them. But if Tony would have known about it, he would have gone mad had her and would have stayed by her side all night. But she wanted him to have some time for himself. He didn't want to disturb him all the time, though he didn't mind. Taking two pills from the bottle, she instantly felt sleepy before she drifted to sleep.

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"Big say, Ray wake up." Said Pepper trying to wake me up.

"Umm" she groaned in her sleep.

"Wake up Ray. Don't be so lazy." She said pulling her blanket.

"Two minutes, Peppy, please." She said

"You make that two a twenty everytime!" she said removing the blankets off her. "Wake up. The sun is out!" she exclaimed.

"Alright, I know it!" she snapped. She hated it when someone disturbed her in her sleep. "What the heck am I supposed to do if the sun is out? Photosynthesis?"

Pepper heard someone laugh behind him. She turned around to see Tony standing behind her. "Let her sleep Pepper, she was working late last night." He said but by now Ray was up though drowsy. "Couldn't have said that before?" she told her brother. "Awe sis, have you any idea how hilarious it is to watch you and Pepper fight every morning?" "Enough now stop acting like a five year old and get up." Said Pepper, handing her a cup of coffee. "Get ready."

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After drinking her coffee Ray did her regular choars and got ready for the meeting. She put on her formals, a white shirt and a pencil skirt and tied her hair to a high ponytail. She put light make up to hide the dark circles she had got due to staying up late at night.

The board was still not happy about Tony's decision of shutting the weapons manufacturing branch of Stark Industries. The wanted an assurance that they could gain profit if they invested their money on them. The Expo was a part of it, though it was also Howard's dream that the Stark siblings were bringing to reality.

Tony , Ray and Pepper made their way to the Expo in the conference room as Ray sat down with her legs on the conference table. She was still tired. "You look a bit out of form today." Commented Tony.

"Yeah, I am a bit tired." she said though. She knew it was her sleeping pills effect on her.

"Come on. Don't be such a sleepy head like a wild cat!" He exclaimed as Pepper entered with the other delegates and Ray put my legs down. "Did I tell you not to put your legs on the conference table?" said Pepper in a whisper.

"Yes, but it depends on me if I want to listen on you."

Pepper rolled her eyes. "Ray you need to be a little more serious!"

"Come on, Peppy, why should it bother them? It's not that they bought it. Our office our ways!"

"Shall we proceed?" asked one of the delegates. "Yes, Mr. Stellon, we shall." Said pepper as the meeting proceeded.

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Attending meetings was not a big deal for me. Infact, I had been attending the meeting in the past few of them. The board of directors didn't object because I did came up with a few ideas for the research wing and now Tony wanted me to play a role in the wing. But today was a blunder. I didn't expect this and it had me completely off guard.

"What do you think you were doing when you said that?" Ray exclaimed. She hated it when Tony just imposed his decisions without even talking to her.

"I did what I thought was right." Tony replied as if it was the most obvious thing to do.

FLASHBACK

"Mr. Stark, we know that the arc reactor clean energy project is working but the normal people still can't afford such a costly form of technology." Said Mr. Stellon. He was still not convinced that the arc tech could be brought to the public for their regular use.

"But the arc tech works and it is the cleanest energy humans have ever used." Ray said.

"Yes Ms. Stark. But it is not possible for the public to afford it. We need something cheaper."

"We have one." Said Tony. Both Pepper and Ray looked at Tony in confusion. "My sister is working on one."

Ray gave him a 'what are you talking about?' look. She wasn't even sure if it would work. She was doing it all out of interest. "Well then Ms. Stark, please fill us in about your project." Ray wasn't ready for this and looked confused at first. Tony lightly kicked her. "Umm..." she spoke up, "My device uses radiation around us and turns it to different forms of energies. It's a better and cheaper source of energy. This is all that I will say right now."

"What is your progress?"

"The prototype is ready, though the trials are yet to be done." Tony spoke up thus time.

FLASHBACK

"Tony I am not sure about the device. You just put the whole luck of the expo on me!" Ray exclaimed.

"Hey, come on! I have seen your designs. It'll surely work."

"Tony, I have never done this before!"

"There's a first time for everything. You are amazing. All you need is to believe in yourself!"

 **Hey! I am back again. So that is chapter 18 for you all. I know its shorter than the rest but I think this is a good place to stop.**

 **Anyways, I am really excited. Its 1** **st** **today. Only three days to go and its RDJ's birthday. I am totally in love with him. He is the best!**

 **So my school has begun so I only write when I get time and energy. So see ya' all till the next update.**

 **ImaginationsUnleashed**


	19. Chapter 19

**Chapter 19.**

Ray woke up. It was around 5 in the morning. She sighed. Another incomplete sleep. Her head was pounding. But she knew she couldn't sleep anymore. It had become a regular routine. She pulled her laptop from the table and opened her mail account. She hadn't given the access to Jarvis considering it would give access to Tony. She had a new mail. It was from Jane.

"Hey Ray! It's me Jane Froster. I hope you remember me, we had met ones in California. Your teacher Mr. Patrick had introduced me to you. I was working on a new project and I would love if you came and accompany me in this one. Actually, I'll also need your help in doing this. I'll be grateful if you come." She wrote.

'Jane Froster', Ray recalled. She had met her ones surely. She was an astrophysicist and she had quite a brain. Ray was really impressed when she had met her and we had become good friends. Technically, she would love to visit her and have a look at her project. So she mailed her back.

"Hey Jane! How are you? I am so glad you mailed me. I would love to visit you and see your project considering they are quite interesting. So I'll be there day after tomorrow. I have got a few things to wind up there. See you soon!" she wrote then did her regular choars before her phone rang up.

"Are you kidding me? You left school?" screamed Ed.

"Umm...Ed? Yeah I did."

"But why?"

"I was wasting my time there. I already have passed school level examinations I went there because I liked hanging out with you all but now I have got some real work to do. Tony dumped the whole research group of the Expo on me. I am busy." Said Ray in one breath.

"But I'll miss you." said Ed. "We all will."

Ray sighed. I was true. She would miss them too but she had nothing that she could do. "I know Eddy. I'll miss you too. But come on! It's nothing like I am dying or something. We can meet anytime and have fun like we used to do in school. Don't worry."

"Alright Ray. But do not forget us."

"Sure I won't!"

Ray rushed down the stairs to the main hall where she found Pepper sitting accompanied with Natalie. She was on the phone and looked quite stressed. "Hey Peppy! What's up?" She said and Pepper nodded and smiled in reply. Then she kept the phone and sighed loudly. "The press are being really annoying!" said Pepper angrily.

"Well they have always been dicks!" commented Ray. "What's wrong?"

"They have been continuously calling since the events at Monnaco. And it's me taking all the heat that your brother should take!" she looked furious.

"Ooh!" said Ray. She knew it was really annoying when the press stalked you everywhere you went. But they had nothing to do about this. Afterall, they knew it was coming.

A little later Tony came up and greeted them and they had their breakfast. "Hey, Tone. I've got something to tell you."

"Yes?" he said.

"I'm going to New Jersey day after tomorrow to meet Jane. You remember the astrophysicist I told you about?"

"New Jersey? Now? Ray it's the peak time. You need to be here for the Expo!"

"Yeah, I know but I have tested my machine and I need to assemble a few parts that I would complete today and then I have ordered for a few stuff that will not come before next week. So I am quite nothing to do before that. Moreover Jane's projects are awesome. I would love to have a look at them!"

"So you'll be back by next week?"

"Yeah!"

"Okay then."

TWO DAYS LATER

MORNING

Ray walked into their private jet after bidding her brother and Pepper 'good bye'. Before she did so, tony had given a bear hug and kissed her on her head. She was quite shocked at this. Normally didn't show so much of affection. It was always felt. But she shrugged off the feeling. "Take care" she said before making her way with Rhodey who would join her in every place she went alone. He technically did the job of her bodyguard at times but actually he was quite close to her family and one of the very few people Tony trusted.

TIME JUMP

Ray walked down the stairs at New Jersey airport where she met Jane. "Ray, I am so glad you accepted my invitation!" said Jane.

"How couldn't I? You got me so excited!"

They walked to the car and was greeted by another girl. "Ray, meet my assistant cum friend, Darcy. Darcy, Rayne Stark."

"Hey!" she said.

"Hi! Nice to meet you."

They drove to Jane's house that was also her research lab. "Reached New Jersey. This place looks good." She texted Tony.

"I'm glad you liked it.", he replied. "Okay, listen, the council has called for a meeting. Pep and I am going there. What do we say if they ask about your update?"

"Geez Tony! I just reached this place!"

"Nothing I can help kiddo."

"Tell them the tests are yet to be done and I can't do it before 18 days. I have got terabytes of calculations to do."

"Okay, take care! Bye!"

"Bye!"

"Brother?" asked Jane.

"Yup!" replied Ray. "The Expo has called for a meeting and I am not there so he was asking for updates."

"Ooh!" she said. "You know you are quite an inspiration. You are working at the age of 14, that's amazing!"

"Thanks. You can call it helping my brother in running a huge company. Tell me about your research. I am so damn excited to know about it."

"Yes, about that. I had been working on different realms of the universe. And I have seen to have made a few interesting discoveries. Well, I am not the only one. Did you by chance hear about Dr. Eric Selvig?"

"No."

"Okay, so he had also been working on this. The last time I met him he was working on this too. He had told me that he had made a few important discoveries but he suddenly disappeared." She handed her a file. Ray walked through the house. It was full of machines. Most of them were made by Jane herself. "Well did you hear about the incidents here last month?" she asked.

"You mean the extra terrestrial attack thing?"

"Yeah."

"So there's an organisation called SHIELD that works for the security of the world. They had been here. They are working on something now that I don't know of..." and she went on. (A/N: She says about the Thor 1 incident) Ray was shocked. Gods, aliens, Mudguard, Asguard, it was so confusing! Technically, she was an atheist so she didn't believe a bit of it but hen Jane showed her the reports she had to give up. She felt like her knowledge, her inventions, everything was a waste. She was nothing infront of the whole universe and its strange rules.

Working with Jane was interesting but Ray was looking forward to meet Dr. Selvig. He sounded to be a genius. "So this Thor guy, what does he look like?" she asked fidgeting with the gravitational wave detector.

"Ummm...well he is blonde, tall, muscular and ummm..." Jane stammered.

"And handsome." Completed Darcy. Ray saw her blush.

"Okay, I get it. You had a crush on him?" she asked.

"Yeah, even he did." Answered Darcy.

"Alright you both stop it." Said Jane not happy with the topic of discussion.

TIME JUMP

Ray and Jane had been working continuously. It's the one thing they had in common. They could work for hours without being distracted. "I am hungry." Said Darcy when they realised that it was around 3o'clock. They hadn't even eaten their lunch.

"Should we go to a cafe'?" asked Jane at which both Ray and Darcy agreed. It was fun hanging around Jane. Though she was around five years older that Ray. The TV of the cafe' was on. It was showing the feeds of the events of the Grand Prix. "As we see here, the man who attacked Tony Stark right here in the Grand Prix had the same technology that the Iron man suit had. The same tech that Tony Stark claimed that he was only one to use. 'Mr. Tony Stark had claimed that other countries were atleast a decade away from making this technology but yet here we are realising that, 'oh no this tech exists.' Said the secretary of defence in the interview that he was attending. Ray rolled her eyes and turned her attention to Jane. "So where is this Dr. Selvig?" she asked.

"Some guy in black coat approached him and he went with him. I don't know where." Said Darcy.

"You think it was SHIELD?" Ray asked.

"I guess so." Said Jane munching her figure chips. "What do you know about SHIELD?"

"I had ones seen a protected folder in my brother's database. So I had hacked in SHIELD servers."

"What did you find?"

"A hell lot of things. Some secret missions and truce signed by the world's governments etc, etc."

Ray chatted with Jane the rest of the time. To her, she looked like a good human being and a science freak just like her. She liked her company.

NEXT DAY

Ray, Jane and Darcy were chatting after taking their breakfasts. "So you think this Thor guy will return?" asked Ray.

"He had said so." Replied Jane. "Why are you so interested?"

"No such a reason. Just want to see that if he is really a god then what does he look like." Replied Ray. She noticed that Jane used to carry a diary where ever she went and right now she was writing something in it. At first she thought that it was some personal journal that she maintained but who carries a journal everywhere? "What are you doing?" she asked. She passed it to her to see it. "Wow!" she exclaimed. It was her research of the seven realms. "Jane, these are awesome." She commented.

"Yeah, pretty much. But I can't persue the experiments."

"Why?" asked Ray.

"I need more space for that. This is my home, I can't do it here. Moreover, I need more money for it."

Ray kept on staring at the diary. Her work was extraordinary. It would be injustice if this kind of experiment is not done. "So you need space and more funds?" asked Ray. "You know what, you got it! Leave it to me." Jane's face went bright at that moment. She had never thought that she would ever be able to do these experiments. To her it was like a dream came true.

FEW DAYS LATER

Tony helped Ray and Jane set up a new laboratory in New Jersey. It had all basic stuff that a lab should have and then we had to get all Jane's apparatus set up there. It took around two days to set it up properly after Tony bought it. "Oh my God!" exclaimed Darcy when she entered the room. "It's huge!" "Yeah, its smaller that my lab at home but this is the best I could get in so less time." Replied Ray. "You are kidding me." Said Jane. "It's awesome! I love it." She grabbed Ray into a hug. "Thank you!" "You're welcome, I guess."

Ray and Jane worked together. Ray helped in upgrading a few of Jane's machine that looked outdated to her. They would spend hours like this together without even knowing how long they worked. On one such a day a guy in a black suit walked inside the lab. "Miss Froster, we had given back your belonging t you on the condition that you wouldn't do any illegal stuff again." Said the man whom ray recognised in moments. Phil Coulson.

"What do you mean?" asked Jane.

"You are not authorized to do these experiments. We have to seize your materials."

"Well, I assure you nothing illegal is going on over here." Popped in Ray.

Coulson seemed to be a little shocked. He didn't expect to see Ray here. "Miss Stark, I have direct orders." He said.

"How did you break in?" she rather asked.

"This place does not look to me like a high-tech Stark lab." He commented.

"Well it will be." She replied.

"Wait, you guys know each other?" asked Darcy.

"Yes, we do. I am Agent Coulson from SHIELD."

"You know what Coulson, I had been wondering. Is Agent your first name?"

"Miss Stark, I can't defy my orders."

"I know, but you can just go and talk with your boss and tell him that I am the boss of this place and we are not bothered about his orders." She said.

"Surely." Said Coulson as he left. But it looked like he was wanting to do something else. "He may comeback." Said Jane. "I know." Replied Ray. "Oh my god! What do we do?"

"Don't worry Jane. Next time he comes, we will be prepared."

Ray started developing an AI system that she could use for the security of the place so that this place could qualify to be called a Stark Lab. It would be same as Jarvis but the only exception is that unlike Jarvis it would take Ray's orders and not Tony's. "What do I name you?" mumbled Ray. She was never good at naming stuff. It was always Tony who came up with different names. "Voila!" she exclaimed happily. "What?" Jane asked. "I'll name her Voila."

 **So here is chapter 19 for you all. I'm sorry if I rushed with this chapter but I want to carry out with the main plot. Next chapter will be interesting and I am going to add a new character in it. Any guesses? I bet you'll fail. Lets see if you can guess. Review!**

 **Anyways, I know I am late to ask this but did you guys see the new trailer of Spiderman: Homecoming? Oh my God! It is so damn awesome! I loved it! Iron Man's entry was like a lion. And did you notice the change in Tony. He went on like, "If you're nothing without the suit, then you don't deserve it." Damn! Its the most mature thing he ever said. God, I am so looking forward to this movie!**

 **Bye till then!**

 **ImaginationsUnleashed**


	20. Chapter 20

**Chapter 20**

Voila was installed everywhere so Ray wasn't worried about being invaded by Coulson in the lab. So after breakfast Ray decided to take a tour to the streets of New Jersey. She grabbed a pack of cigarettes as she walked across the streets till she came across a museum. 'The Captain America Museum'. She had heard a lot about this place but had never thought that she would visit this place. She stood in front of the entrance for some time before walking in.

Ray never was fond of Captain America. Though she knew her brother used to be a huge fan of his when he was a kid. Though things changed. Howard Stark was crazy about finding Captain America after he drowned with the plane. In the beginning it was a wish, then a string desire but later it had become his obsession. That's when everything in their life became different. She knew that Tony had gone through a lot in his childhood. Incidents that they promised would never talk about. He used to struggle to gain his dad's attention. He was a genius. Whatever he made was awesome but his dad never seemed to appreciate him. Ray, though young, had to face these constant comparisons that her dad did with her and Tony with Captain America. Naturally she grew up to hate Captain America and .so did Tony.

FLASHBACK

"Dad!" said a young boy. He was excited as he rushed to his father, the great Howard Stark who was sitting in the main hall of his house with a few more important looking men. "Dad, look what I made."

"Tony what is it? Don't you see we are having an important discussion here?"

"Dad I made a design of an armour that well looks like a kni..."

"Tony!" he cut him off. "Why don't you go and do something productive instead of wasting your time on science fiction stuff! And don't disturb us we are working here!" said Howard not even taking a look at the design his son had made.

"But dad..." Tony stammered.

"Maria!" he snapped. "Take Tony away from here. I'm busy. I can't entertain his nonsense here."

Soon Maria emerged from the other room. "Tony! Honey, how many times have I told you not interrupt your dad when he is working?" she said politely as she brought him out of the room.

"But mom, I was just..."

"No Tony. Go to your room."

Tony nodded and closed his door with a slam tore up the design he had made. "Why the hell does he not pay a little attention on me?" he said with a shay voice.

END OF FLASHBACK

Ray had watched this scene from the back of the door. She had seen how upset his brother was that day and talking about herself, Howard didn't even pay any attention to her. She always had a nanny to take care of her or she would just spend time with Tony or Maria. She was around seven when she was send to the boarding school in London. She had insisted that she didn't want to go and that she wanted to stay at home but her dad never listened. She didn't have to stay there for long though. Only one and a half years. She was brought back after the car crash in which both of her parents were and of which she was also a part of.

As she walked into the museum she saw several attics kept for exhibition like Captain America's first suit, his pictures, his war uniform etc. On the wall several banners were hung with the information on people who were related to him. Starting from Steve Rodgers himself to, his early life followed by James 'Bucky' Barnes, his closest friend. Then came Peggy Carter. Ray had met her in a person as a kid even after her parent's death. Tony and Ray were one invited to the ceremony where all brave men who had fought were paid respect. It was around four years ago. That was the last time she met her. She walked past several other banners reading the names but stopped at a particular one labelled 'Howard Stark – the father of Atom Bombs'. It was larger compared to the other banners. It had a picture from his young ages. She couldn't help but notice how much he resembled Tony. Well not in looks but in attitude. "Howard Stark," it read, "one of the greatest brains history has ever seen. He was amongst the very close people of Captain Rodgers." It continued a bit about his early life and inventions before it read, "December 16, 2007" (A/N: I know, I am fidgeting with the date but it wouldn't coincide with Ray's birth date if I don't. Please don't be mad, though I don't think it is something to be mad about, but still. Keep on reading, I am talking too much!) Ray felt a chill down her spine as she read the date, "Legendary genius, victim of a fatal car crash, embraces eternal sleep along with his wife Maria Stark. His daughter Rayne Stark, though accompanying them in the car crash survives with a few serious injuries though. Ray closed her eyes. She could see random images popping up in her head.

FLASHBACK

"'Tony!" a small girl no older than 7 rushed to him as he was standing against the door frame with his arms folded. "Hey kiddo!" he said picking her on his lap and placing a kiss on her cheek only to realise that she was pouting. "I don't wanna go. I wanna spend Christmas with you." she almost cried. "Aaah Ray, you are choking me!" he faked but her grip around his neck tightened. "Alright kiddo, I know you really wanna stay here but we have nothing to do. Dad has some really important work so you'll have to go. We have to spend Christmas alone." He said. "It in no way sounds like Christmas!" she said angrily folding her arms with a pout. "I know, I'll call you and we'll talk, okay?" assured Tony. "But..." she was about to speak but was cut off by Howard. "Rayne, come on we don't have time for your brother-sister nonsense. He pulled her away from Tony's lap. "Dad, she is just seven. Be polite with atleast her." Tony said. "So that she becomes a soft hearted spoilt kid like you?" Howard spat. "Well its better than becoming a selfish work freak like you are." He said as his father walked out. "He misses you, you know?" said Maria walking up to him. "And frankly, you are going to miss us 'cause this is the last time we are all going to be together. Say something or you may regret." She insisted. Tony stared at his mother for sometime as his dad came in with the bags. He looked at him and then turned to Ray. "Hey kid. Why are you crying? I hate tears. Come on give me that smile I love." He said as Ray did smile. "That's my girl!" he said before walking away not even looking at his dad for ones.

END OF FLASHBACK

Ray knew it was Tony's greatest regret of life. He really does miss his parents and he regrets for not saying 'goodbye'. He really did have a reason to be angry but today that reason looked small.

FLASHBACK CONTINUES

Ray was sitting in the backseat of the car half asleep as it was quite late at night when suddenly there was a jerk in the car and the car went out of control. "Ray, get below the seats and no matter what do not get out!" said Howard as Ray obeyed when the car hit a lamp post. Something hit Ray's head as she blacked out.

The next thing Ray remembers is waking up in the hospital bed with a bandage around her head, a plastered arm and a few more cuts and wounds. She felt a striking pain in her body as she tried to adjust her eye sight. "Ray?" called tony as he was sitting on her bedside. He looked warn out and it seemed like as if he had been sitting there for hours. "What happened?" she weakly asked. Tony lightly held her good hand in his and rubbed his nose on it. "Do you remember what happened in the car?" he asked in a low tone. Suddenly Ray turned pale. "Where's...?" she was about to ask but she didn't have to complete. "I'm so sorry, kiddo. I'm so sorry." Said Tony pulling her into a tight hug as she dug her face and cried in is shirt. Tony tried to calm her down but she nothing would stop her. "Shh!" he said but he knew there was nothing that could calm her right now.

Suddenly two cops came in. "Mr. Stark," they said, "I know this may not be a good time but we need to ask your sister a few questions."

"Not now." Tony replied.

"But sir..."

"Not now I said!"

"Sir, we just lost one of the most genius man responsible for peace in America. It is important." They tried to sound stern to the younger boy.

"The seven year old just realised that she lost her parents. So for God's sake leave her alone!"

END OF FLASHBACK

Ray snapped her eyes open and subdued the tears that had welled up in her eyes. She had made Tony promise that they would never talk about this incident but yet here she was opening old wounds.

Ray took a last glance at the photo before continuing her expedition. She was looking around the place when suddenly he spotted a familiar face. Agent Coulson. He walked to the other side of the room up the stairs. She tried to follow him but was blocked by two guards. "I'm sorry ma'am, outsiders are not allowed to enter this area." Said the guard. _Why would there be a restricted area in a public museum?_ She thought. "Really? But I saw that kid go up." She lied. "Who?" asked the guard. "That woman's son." She said pointing towards a random lady. "Thank you, Miss." Said the guard as he walked towards the lady. She took this chance and rushed up the stairs. "Hey! Hey! Hey! Get her!" screamed the guard seeing her but it was now hard to stop her. _Thank God I'm wearing high heels!_ She mentally thanked.

Ray could technically smell something fishy going on here. Well, she had lost Coulson so she decided to take a tour for herself. Suddenly she heard hustle bustle and thinking that it might be the guards following her she entered into a random room. She heard them walk past the room and she took a breath of relief. She looked around the room. It was a computer room. more like a data centre with all computers connected to each other. Surely it was something more than just a museum. She walked to the main node of the computer and plugged in a pendrive. "Gimme what ya got!" she mumbed but suddenly to her shock an alarm went on. "Security breach." It said. "Come on buddy, hurry up." She said but heard footsteps. '60 % files copied.' Read the screen. "Better half than none." She said talking her pen drive out and then got up on a table into an AC vent.

Soon a few people came into the room including Coulson. They were talking about something though she couldn't make out what. Then she noticed a guy with an eye patch. He looked like the head of all these people. He seemed to give them a few instructions. They nodded and left and then the guy with the eye patch switched the whole system off before going out too.

 _Why did I even crash in here?_ Ray thought to her way back to Jane's home. _Was it my attitude that I have to gain access to anyplace I am restricted to go?_ But then she shrugged out the thought. _I am Rayne Emily Stark, I can do whatever I want._ She said.

TIME JUMP

Tony had sent Ray a few files on the discussions of the board meetings. Honestly, she really was excited about the Expo 'cause it was the first time they were working on a project that was completely her design. But today her attraction was on her pen drive. _What could the database possibly have?_ Was the constant question that went through her head. She didn't feel guilty for breaking into the place. She rather felt that she had all right to know about the data if it was related to her dad.

Ray worked with Jane as always, gave her a few tips on making the gravitational wave detector and then at night she pulled out the pen drive out of her pocket and plugged it in her laptop. It was all about Captain America. She browsed from pages to pages and stopped on an interesting topic. 'Super Soldier Serum'. It had a whole lot of information on this particular topic. She went on reading pages after pages about it. It was the drug injected to captain America that had increased his metabolism and strength. She had heard her dad mention about this. Then she found a little information on Peggy Carter, Aunt Peggy as she called her. _Maybe I can go and ask her._ She thought at first, _but she would not appreciate it._ He was didn't like meeting people who reminded him of his dad neither did Ray, but for her Aunt Peggy was differed.

AT MALIBU, CALIFORNIA

Tony was sitting in his garage. He wanted to get some sleep and so she had gone to his room to have a nap but he could sleep for only three hours. So now he sat down in his garage. He pressed his figure against the needle f the blood toxicity tester. 59 % it showed. He got a sudden pang in his chest. He took out his phone. He felt the urge to talk to someone. Finding no one he wrote a random message to Ray, though he didn't expect a reply.

AT NEW JERSEY

Ray was sitting in her room still reading the notes when suddenly her phone rang. She almost jumped. It was 2 o'clock at night. Who could possibly text her now?

"Hey kiddo, wassup?" wrote Tony

"Why aren't you sleeping?"

"I can actually ask the same question."

"What did you expect when you texted me?"

"Sorry, I was kinda bored so I just sent you a random message. I didn't expect you would reply."

"Ooh! But what is keeping you awake though?"

"I was working in the know I don't like leaving work incomplete. What about you though?"

"Jane and I were working. Didn't realise that it was past bed time until some time back." (Lie) "But I thought you might be having fun with Peppy!" she joked.

"Pepper? No! Ray, what the hell are you talking about? NO! Not at all. Me and Pepper are not..."

"Come on Tony, do you have any idea how much your feelings for her is evident on your face?"

"Is it?"

"Yeah. You really like her don't you?"

"I... I really don't know. I am confused."

"Tony Stark, renouned playboy of America, confused if he is in love?"

"Oh come on Ray!"

"Hey come on! Don't be such an introvert! If you like her, go for it!"

"Really?"

"Yeah!"

"You are fine with her?"

"Why the hell would I have a problem with her?"

"Okay, okay, thanks!"

"You're welcome!" she said," anyways, I am feeling really sleepy. Good night Tone."

"Yeah, good night kiddo."

Ray took her sleeping pills, threw her phone across the bed before drifting off to sleep.

TIME JUMP

Ray helped Jane in her work as always and then made an excuse and walked to her way to the nearby park with her laptop in hand. _'Captain America'_ she wrote in her search engine. She found a few articles on him before an interesting article came. _'Captain America, lost soldier rumoured to be found.' S_ he clicked on the article. It was a news report by a local news paper that Captain America was found out by. She stored the web page to read it later off line and was about to get up when she crashed into a random guy walking by as she lost her grip from her grip and it fell and broke into two pieces. "Shit!" she exclaimed. "I am so sorry ma'am. Please pardon me. I didn't see you coming. I apologize." Said the man picking up the pieces of the laptop. "I'm going o pay for it, I promise!" "No, no, no, no, it's okay. I was the one not looking." Said Ray as she looked at the man's face and was shocked. Fair, blonde, muscles. A very familiar face. Captain America aka Steve Rodgers was standing in front of her. _You have got to be kidding me!_ She said mentally. "But your dad would be angry on you for breaking it wouldn't he?" "Dad?" she said in a very sarcastic tone, "no, I don't have one. I have a brother though who can get me two more." She said picking up the memory chip while Rodgers threw the rest in the dustbin. "Still, allow e to apologize." He insisted. "Don't worry." She said. "Anyways, you are the Captain America guy aren't you?" "on your orders ma'am." He replied. _Di he just call me ma'am?_ She mentally laughed. "May I have your introduction?" he asked. _Great! He doesn't know me!_ "Rayne" she said stretching her hand for him to shake.

 **Boom! Here's the surprise. Captain America made his first appearance! Did you guys expect it? I am so damn sure you didn't.**

 **Anyways, it RDJ's birthday today. Oh my god! I think I am more happy than he is today. Yes, I am crazy about him. I love watching him in movies like Iron Man, Sherlock Holmes, Due Date, The Judge, Chaplin etc. I love him. I can't wait to see what he posts on facebook today and comment on it. I wish he gives us more of Tony and other loveable characters.**

 **Anyways, my exams are coming again. I dint know how often I'll update. But I'll try my best.**

 **Bye till then!  
**

**ImagiantionsUnleashed**


	21. Chapter 21

**Chapter 21**

 _I don't know why but I felt the need to know more about Steve._ She thought and so she didn't let go of him. She actually spent a lot of time with him that day in the park walking, talking, occasionally making sarcastic remarks that he mostly didn't understand so she had to explain them to him. Ray had never thought that she would spend time with the man whom she used to hate in her childhood. Well she didn't expect to meet him either!

FEW DAYS LATER

Ray had become quite friendly with Steve. Actually she is the first person to whom Steve ever interacted after waking up from the long coma. _Technically, he is my eldest friend._ She thought. She sat on her bed after working on some updates on Voila in Jane's lab reading the files that she stole from the Captain America Museum when Tony called her.

"Hey Tone!" she greeted.

"What's up Ray?" he asked.

"Nothing as such. What about you?" she asked.

"Just wasting my time in the lab."

"Why did you call?"

"Yeah, that, the board of directors met yesterday. They want you to brief them on your progress on the tech."

"Ooh! The board. They are just so annoying!" she grumbled.

"Yeah, I know. But this is important." Tony replied.

"Ummm...okay, I guess. It's not that I'm too busy here." She said though the thought of Steve came up in her head.

"Cool then. I'll send the plane with either Happy or Rhodey."

"Happy please! Rhodey gets me bored!"

"What I get you bored?" she heard Rhodey say from the other end.

 _Shit!_ She mentally cursed herself. "No offence Rhodey. But I think you are just a little too out of fashion for me." She said.

Tony giggled. "Okay, Happy. It's done." He said.

Ray had to meet Steve today at the local coffee shop. Jane knew she had made a friend but didn't ask who it was. She didn't mind her going out alone and Ray was thankful to that.

Ray had bought Steve a cell phone and was teaching him to use it. "Outdated though but not expired." She had commented when she noticed that he was a fast learner. She had talked to him about the Super Soldier Serum or the Triple S to be short, but it wasn't fruitful. It was either Steve knew about it properly or that he wasn't telling her everything. Today they sat drinking a cup of coffee each, talking about Steve's old days. He used to speak a lot about Aunt Peggy, James Barnes and occasionally about Howard too. Well Ray hadn't told him that she was Howard Stark's daughter. She didn't know why she didn't want to tell that to him.

"Howard was a very good man and a true friend." He said. Ray almost spitted her coffee but controlled her behaviour. "He was a noble man." He continued.

"Really? Was he?" she asked in a cold but calm voice.

"Yeah, why are you asking that?"

"'Cause as far as I know, he was an alcoholic in his later life and quite rude, even to his own children."

Steve's eyes widened in shock. He could technically never imagine Howard to be alcoholic. Then again the fact of him having children was new to him. But it was quite obvious. "He had a family?" he asked.

"Well ofcourse he did. He and his wife had a son and a younger daughter."

"That's amazing! I am really happy for him. I wish I could have a family like him too."

"You can wish to have a family but I wouldn't consider his to be an ideal one."

"What do you mean?"

"As I said, he was an alcoholic. He was a work freak, didn't care about his kids, scolded them at almost everything sent them away at boarding school, didn't appreciate their talents."

"You seem to know a lot about him." He said. Ray realised that she was speaking a lot. She didn't want to get caught, didn't she?

"I know as much as I have heard people say."

"Hmm..." said Steve as he left a breath. "I wish I could meet him."

"You can't."said Ray in a flat tone.

"Why?"

"He's died seven years back." Steve face instantly dropped at this. "He and his wife died in a car crash seven years back." Ray said not looking at him trying to hide her own expression. She noticed Steve's expression. _God, he really was really close to him!_ She thought. "Anyways, Steve, I'm going back to NYC tomorrow. My brother want me back soon so I guess It's the last day today." She said switching the topic. She was never comfortable discussing about her parents.

"Ooh!" said Steve. "We'll keep in touch right?"

"Yeah."

TIME JUMP

Ray got ready for going back to NYC. "I'll miss you Jane, you too Darcy." She said giving each of the a friendly hug. "Me too." Said Jane and Darcy in unison. She got up in the jet that Tony had sent as Happy carried her bag behind her. "You're brother doesn't want me to wait here for a moment." He told her. "Neither do I." She said quite honestly. She missed Tony too.

As the plane landed she jumped out of it and squealed joy like a kid, which actually she is. "Toonnnyyyyyy!". And she flung her arms around him. Tony laughed at his sister and hugged her back. "Missed you." she said. "I missed you more." He replied as they got into the car and drove off home.

NEXT DAY

Ray went down to the lab early in the morning. She was so damn excited for the final test run of her machine. She had been working really hard on it. She had set it u in a sound proof, radiation proof room and he had also installed Voila in the house. Tony was quite impressed when he first saw Voila. She had added quite a few extra features that made V better than J. Her hacking software was the one most visible. By the time Tony came down, she was already half way done setting up her machine. He stood there quietly watching her work with full concentration. He felt immense pride in himself as she worked hard. He wanted her to take his place in the industries and establish herself worthy before he dies.

"Sonic Phase 1, test 1" she said in the microphone as Tony intently looked at the screen she was working on. "Booting system." Said Voila, the new AI in the house. "And the party starts in 3, 2, 1!" she exclaimed switching the energy supply on as the machine kept in the sound proof room started working. "Wow!" said Tony bending down to the screen reading the data obtained. "Now that's impressive!" he said. But suddenly something went wrong and it stopped. "What?" said Ray. "V, check what's wrong." She said.

"The power supply has stopped." She said.

"This is not supposed to happen." She said getting up and walking into the sound proof room.

"Ray, I don't think it's a good idea." Tony said.

"Chill Tone!" she said as Pepper came in. "What's going on?" she asked.

"Nothing, just the power supply is cut off." Replied Tony. "Ray, I don't think you should be in there."

Ray didn't even pay any attention. Rather she kept on checking her machine. "Oh, so you are disturbing, hunh?" she exclaimed finding an opened wire. She put it in its right place and was about to turn when the device started with a jerk and before she could realise that it sent a shock wave throwing her against the wall. All the time watching the scene, Tony and Pepper were both shocked at the scene in front of them. "No wait!" Tony said when Pepper was about to enter the room. He shut the device down before rushing to his sister. Her ears were bleeding and she was unconscious. "The ambulance is on its way, sir." Said Jarvis.

She was rushed into the OT. Pepper filled all the formalities while Tony stood at the hospital panicking. They were helpless. It all happened so suddenly that even before they could realise, it was over. "Tony, she's a fighter. Don't worry she'll be fine." Pepper tried to console him but on earth could possibly console him now? The one lying down on the bed was his little sister, his only family!

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 **Hey there! I am back! I am so sorry for the long wait but I had my exams. Trust me, I was eager to update as well. And yes, K- 316, thanks for reviewing. I am glad you like the story. It really gives a boost when some likes what you are doing. So thank you. It really means a lot.**

 **Yes, I know so much happened since I have last updated. Where do I start? Did you guys see the trailer for Thor: Ragnarok? Oh my god! It killed me. It was so damn awesome. And Hela, she is amazing. She broke Mjolnir. I couldn't believe it. And then there was the hulk scene. I am really excited for this movie. I know most of you must have seen it but if you haven't do watch it. Its awesome! And do tell me what you think about it.**

 **And yes, GOTG 2 is releasing here tomorrow. My mom promised me that she would take me for the movie on my birthday which is on 6** **th** **. It has% post credit scenes! I possibly can't miss this movie! So let's see, I'll give you all a review of the movie after I watch it. Don't worry, I wouldn't give spoilers. But you can get an idea on how good the movie is.**

 **So I'll try to update soon. I am as excited about this movie as you are. And please review and tell me how it is. Love you all! See ya!**

 **ImagnationsUnleashed**


	22. Chapter 22

**Chapter 22**

The doctor had said that Ray was out of danger but still unconscious. She was shocked that how she could survive such a shock a shock. 'She has a very strong will to live.' She had said.

Right now Tiny was sitting on Ray's bedside. He had refused to move from there. Neither did he eat or drink anything. He was too worried. He would just sit there and listen to the regular beep beep sound of her heart monitor. 'Hey kiddo' he whispered. 'You 'll be fine. The doctor aid you were very lucky... and that you are very strong.' He knew that she wasn't hearing a word but he couldn't stop speaking. 'Wake up now. You are getting me annoyed.' He placed a light kiss on her cheek. Later that day she was transferred to a different room.

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Tony was sitting in Ray's room when he heard a faint whisper. "What happed?" she asked. "Ray? Kid?" Tony was shaken up to see his sister finally awake after five days."Tone?" she said looking at her brother. "What happened?" she asked again. "You don't remember?" Tony crossed. Ray's eyes went wide as she slowly realised what had happened. "Oh my god!" she exclaimed. "Please tell me I'm not deaf!" she panicked. Tony couldn't help but laugh at this. "Munchkin, do you hear me?" he asked in a obvious tone slightly smiling at her. "Ooh...yes." she said. "How are you feeling?" Tony asked as his tone changed to a concerned one. "I am in one piece, am I not?" she said.

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Ray was feeling irritated. The huge bandage around her head was practically squeezing the contents of her head and she could hardly hear a thing 'cause her ears were covered. The plaster on her left arm was heavy and there was a cut on her left cheek that was making her look like a pirate.

She felt a little relaxed as the bandage around her head was removed off her head. She was having a head ache that according to Doctor Jessy was normal in that stage. She gave her a shot of painkiller which was actually working well.

Later that day Tony was sitting near Ray talking with her about random stuff that actually didn't make any sense. But when you are with Tony, you actually can't be sensible! That's when Tony got a call and he got up to receive it. Ray couldn't make out what he was talking about because he only spoke 'yes' and 'nos'. "Who was it?" asked Ray ones he was back. "No one, just a guy wanting to meet, asking for a date." He replied. "Really, when did the great Tony Stark started taking these calls?"she joked. He didn't reply, just reacted with a smile. "Alright kiddo, take some rest. I've some work to do. I'll be back later." He said before letting her lay on her bed and a placing an affectionate kiss on her forehead and tucking her in her bed. He was walking out when Ray called him back. "Tone?" she called.

"Umm?" he turned around.

"Did I...did I get you worried?" she asked.

Tony reluctantly made a clicking sound with his tongue before sitting back on her head side and tangled his fingers in her already messed up hair. "I love ya, kiddo!" he said this time with more concern in his voice. "This is what happens when you don't listen to me."

"I'm sorry, Tone."

"Apology not accepted! You'll be punished." He said in a more playful manner

"Oh please!" excalaimed ray rolling her eyes.

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Next day, Ray was paid a visit by Pepper. "Hey Ray! I've got good news." She said walking in.

"Spill it." She said digging her face in her phone.

"You're getting discharged tomorrow. I had a talk with your doctor and she said that you can go home on the condition that you don't stress yourself. Eat in time and sleep in time." She said putting more stress in the latter part.

"Sure I will." Ray said but something in her tone made her feel as if she was planning to do the opposite.

"I know exactly how to make you do that!" said Pepper making Ray look at her. "I'll tell your brother."

Ray rolled her eye. "Ooh please, Pepper. You know how he reacts to the simplest things!"

"That's because he cares about you, Ray." She said.

"I know that, Peppy. But still!" she said.

"What are you doing?" asked Pepper as she walked around her bed to peep in her phone to find that she was playing a game. "Brainvita?" she said. "It's a horrible game. One can never complete it!" she exclaimed as Ray placed the last marble in its place. "Well, excluding you and your brother." She added as Ray smiled at her praise.

Pepper sat quietly on Ray's bedside thinking about something. From her expression, it was clear that whatever the thought was, it was disturbing her. "What is it, Pep?" asked Ray.

"Nothing Ray, its just..."

"Just...just what?"

"Just Tony."

"Tony? Did you have a fight or something?"

"No!" she said. "He's just acting different. Didn't I tell you before?"

"Yeah, you did. But I really couldn't find a reason for him to be worried or changed."

"I wish there isn't any but I can seeing the change. This month, he attended all the meeting of the boards and he was actually taking all his responsibilities seriously."

"Hmm..."

"And last night... he was in his garage and was drinking heavily."

"He was?"

"Hmm.."

"Don't worry Pep. I'll check on him." She assured.

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Next morning Ray was discharged from the hospital. She felt really relaxed. Three days in the hospital bed was more than enough for her to take. She couldn't wait to take a long and relaxing shower. To her, there is no place more warm and welcoming than home.

 **That's it for today. I know its kinda short but this is the perfect place to stop. Next chapter will be long and interesting. Just wait or it. And I'm really sorry for the late updates. I have school and then tuitions. I get really tired after that. But I'll try to update as soon as possible.**

 **Also, I finally saw GOTG 2. As my mum promised, she took me on my birthday. Trust me, it was amazing so if you haven't seen it yet, what are you waiting for? Just go for the movie! Baby groot was really adorable and the movie was really gripping.**

 **ImaginationsUnleashed**


	23. Chapter 23

**Chapter 23**

Ray was back home and right now sitting on her room scribbling with her notes on her ultrasound device. It had been an hour she had been working on it and she had found out how to stabilize the system but she was feeling too tired to walk down to her lab right now. The medicines were making her tired.

"Voila, Peppy says something is wrong with Tony. Can we run a search in his personal files?" she told her AI system.

"Running a scan." Said AI and after a few moments spoke up again. "Your access is denied in a file."

"What are the access specifications?"

"Only Mr. Stark."

"Hmm... what is the file about?"

"Medical reports."

Ray flinched. What could Tony possibly hide from her about his medical health? "You know what to do V." She said. "Gain me the access."

"I'm on it." Replied ad within a few minutes access was granted and what Ray saw shocked her. "What the hell, Tony?" she mumbled in her own breath as she read Tony's reports. It made her head ache. _'Tony is dying?'_ She couldn't believe it! Palladium in his arc reactor core was poisoning his own blood.

' _Palladium poisoning- 62%_

 _Last updated- Today, 6:25am._

 _Rapid core depletion.'_ It read.

Her head was literally spinning and she couldn't take in the information she had just received. _'He didn't need to face this alone.'_ Was the thought going on in her head.

Pepper came home after sometime from the Expo. "Found something?" she asked referring to Tony. She was concerned too.

"No...Nothing." replied Ray. She didn't know what else to say. She didn't wasn't her to be in tears right now. That wouldn't help either of them. Though she did feel a little guilty for lieing to her. But right now, it seemed to her to be the most logical decision.

"Thank God!" exclaimed Pepper. "I ahd to go to New Jersey today night and I really wasn't sure if it was right to leave now."

"Don't worry Peppy. Everything is okay. And if anything goes wrong, I'm here." She assured.

Later that night after dinner, Pepper left leaving Tony and Ray alone in the house. Tony was in his garage, probably working on something but Ray was in her room. She didn't feel like working. She was worried and she made it a point to talk to him about it. So she uqitely made her way down the stairs. She found him right where she expected to see him, on his desk. She walked to him and sat down beside him. Tony didn't say anything. He was used to her wandering about in his lab snince she was a kid. "Tone?" she called making up her mind.

"Hmm?" he responded quite engrossed in whatever he was doing.

"I was wondering about your arc sometime back. I think there may be side effects of using the arc reactor."

"I know it." Tony replied avoiding eye contact from her.

"What do you mean you know? Tony! That thing is poisoning you!" she exclaimed.

"You hacked in, didn't you?" he asked.

"Yes, I did! So what?"

"You shouldn't have."

"I did it because you were hiding it from us!"

"So what? I am supposed to have my own privacy!"

"Privacy? Fuck your privacy. I don't care! And that isn't the point." She said. "We need to find an alternative of the palladium core."

"There isn't any." Tony replied plainly, still avoiding eye contact from his sister. "We can't do anything about it. So just forget it." He said.

"What?" Ray said broken out of her flow. "What do you mean?" she asked.

"Ray, there is no alternative for palladium. You think I didn't check?"

"Then stop using the bloody suit!" Ray snapped this time.

"I can't." Tony said.

"What do you mean you can't? That thing is a fucking paracite. Its killing you!"

"You think I don't know? Ray, everything is going to be fine. There is nothing to worry about. I've got you perfect insurance, you'll have Pepper as your mentor; I don't know how you can have someone better. Then, you have already have gained a good position in the Expo. It's basically working on your project completely. You'll be fine!" he said as if it was the most obvious thing.

"That's...that's not what I'm talking about!" Ray exclaimed. Her head was aching. She couldn't believe what her brother just said. "You...you can't give up. We should atleast try!" she said.

"Ray!" said Tony, placing his hands on her shoulders. "I should have been dead long back."

"Are you trying to be a martyr?" she snapped, pushing his hands off her shoulders. "How...how could you..."

Tony cut her off her sentence. "Oh Ray, you'll be absolutely fine! I have noticed, you have grown up and you can handle yourself!"

"It's not about me!" she shouted angrily. "Awe, kiddo. I'm just fine with it." He tried to pull his panicking sister into a hug but she pushed him back.

"Shut up! How can you say that?"

"Ray!" he said in an insisting tone but was again pushed back by his sister as she stormed out of her room. "You are a jerk, Tony!" she screamed back as Tony kept staring at her back as she walked out. This is why he didn't dare to tell her the truth. He knew that she would freak out. It would have been easier for him to accept everything if no one knew about it. He knew Ray would freak out and have those mood swings of hers all the time now. Damn, he knew her too well! _'How the hell did she hack into Jarvis? Why is she so clever?'_ he cursed.

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Ray threw herself on her bed and wrapped arms around her head. Pain, frustration, sadness all came crushing over her and she dug her face in her pillow. She couldn't believe it. Her own brother, her only family was giving up on his life. What could be worse? She knew Tony was too stubborn. He wouldn't listen to her, even if she begged him. He wouldn't!

She jumped off her bed and put on her jacket before rushing out of the house. "Voila, no need to inform Tony. " she said. She jumped into the seat of her car and sped away.

 **Hey everyone! I am back and here is the update. I have good news. My summer vacations have started. That means I would be able to update more frequently. I can't say regularly. But it would be sooner. So tell me, how are the chapters going? Are you guys liking it? Is there something that you think I should add or something change. I'll read your suggestions. Till then, bye! Have a nice day!**

 **ImaginationsUnleashed**


	24. Chapter 24

**Hey everyone! I am back with another chapter of my FanFic 'I am IRON MAN'.**

 **First of all I am going to apologise to you all. I was reading my older chapters and I realised that I had made a hell lot of mistakes in spellings. It's just my tying errors, pardon me for that. And yes, I don't know if you noticed or not, I edited chapter 23. My typing errors messing up again! In the last line I wrote**

' **She jumped off her bed and put on her jacket before rushing out of the house. "Voila, need to inform Tony. "She said. She jumped into the seat of her car and sped away.'**

 **Where s it was supposed to be**

' **She jumped off her bed and put on her jacket before rushing out of the house. "Voila, no need to inform Tony. "She said. She jumped into the seat of her car and sped away.'**

 **I missed the 'no' there while typing. So excuse me. And this time I am going to put more stress when I check my spelling and not going to ignore it. If you find some other mistake, just tell me. I'll rectify them and stick to me. I have the whole story planned and it going to be interesting.**

 **Chapter 24**

It was half past twelve when Tony realised that Ray wasn't home. She had been out for she had been out for two hours now and he didn't even know it. "Jarvis! When did Ray leave?" he had asked. "At around 10:35, sir." Replied the AI. "Where?" he asked. "She didn't leave a trace." He said. "What?!" exclaimed Tony. He had been calling her ever since but the phone kept on ringing. She didn't reply.

It was 7 in the morning now. Ray hadn't yet returned. Tony was worried. She hadn't even sent a message about where she was. He still tried to call her but she didn't answer. He had a talk with Pepper but he chose not to tell her about it. She would up worrying and would probably come back, which was absolutely not required.

Later at around 8 Tony was paid a visit by Dr. Jessy, Ray's doctor. "Hey, Doc!" he greeted in a dull tone taking a sip of the Vodka he had been drinking. "Mr. Stark, I brought your sister's blood report." She said.

"You came yourself. Is there something you need to say?"

"Yes. Yes, Mr. Stark. Your sister has been taking an over dose of aspirins and sleeping pills and from a long time now." She said.

Tony flinched. "Sleeping pills?" he asked.

"Yes Mr. Stark. I thought it might be something you need to know." She said. "And it's also not good for her health." She added.

"Thank you, Jessy." He said dismissing her. _What the hell Ray?_ He mumbled as he took another sip of his Vodka.

Ray reached home at sharp 9. She had been roaming all night. At first she met Peter at the subway and went out with him. She really wasn't in any romantic mood so she went quite rude at him as he tried to touch her. And on top of that when he tried to force her she ended up breaking up with him. _Seriously, why did I even end up with that idiot?_ She mumbled as she went up the stairs and was greeted by her brother who was sitting on the living room sofa, drunk. "Where were you?" he asked.

"Out." She replied reluctantly. She could practically smell his breath.

"Out where?"

"To meet some friends. Now can I go?" she said harshly as he was blocking her way to her room.

"Yes." He said moving away but something was different in his tone. Something that really caught Ray's attention. She didn't ask. _I'll come to know it, sooner or later._ She mumbled and walked up. She really wasn't in any mood to talk to Tony either.

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Later Tony and Ray drove to the Expo. All the way, Ray kept on ignoring Tony keeping her ear plugs plugged in and her eyes closed. It was a quite ride with an awkward silence.

In the meeting Ray's machine was finally accepted. The council looked quite impressed. Ray noticed Tony staring at her; she didn't know what he was thinking though. She shrugged off the feeling.

Ray was reading a file that John; her PA had given her regarding the plans of the company. Now she understood why Tony was forcing her to do everything he was supposed to do. He knows he wouldn't be around for long. In such a case he wants to make sure everything stays in her favour, so that she could have a good future in the company. This thought made her head ache more. Even the two aspirins she had taken earlier at home didn't seem to work. Then she was paid a visit by Tony in her office.

"Ray?" he called. He looked sober, compared to his appearance in the morning.

"What?" said Ray digging her face in a file though she wasn't reading anything. She was only trying to avoid Tony. She didn't even know why she was avoiding him. The fact that he was giving up on his life was eating her from within. Maybe she knew that her reaction on facing him wouldn't be normal. So she just chose on ignoring him.

"I was paid a visit by your doctor." He said.

"And what can I do about that?"

"She said you have been taking an over dose of aspirins and sleeping pills." He said.

*panic* Ray's eyes went wide. _How did she...?_ she mentally cursed. Yes she had been taking sleeping pills and they were helpful. Her nightmares were haunting her and the only way she could get rid of them were these sleeping pills. She didn't want Tony to know this! "I don't know what you are talking about." She said still avoiding eye-contact.

"Don't tell me that!" he exclaimed. "Why the hell are you taking sleeping pill and that too in such a dose?"

"That is none of your business." She said harshly.

"It is!" he snapped at her. "You were out all night, I don't know where or with whom. Then I am paid a visit by your doctor that you are taking over dose of sleeping pills. What does it suppose to mean?"

"Nothing!" she replied. "And why the hell does it matter to you?" she felt all her anger, her angst burst out. "Why the hell does it bother you? It's my life! You would be gone in a few days." Her tone was too harsh. "Will only then I have some privacy?" she noticed Tony's face drop. Tony was just genuinely worried about her, she knew that. But she was mad at him. Mad at him for not telling her the truth, the truth that he was dying, that he was giving up. She felt tears welling up her eyes. Damn, she hated the moment when her anger turns into tears, but she continued. "You know what? I don't care what happens to you. I really don't! Go to hell! Do whatever you want but say out of my life!" she almost screamed and then she bursted out of the room with a few employees staring at her. No wonder, she was screaming. They must have heard her. She grabbed a random company car and drove off. She didn't know where, not home for sure. She needed some air and some space.

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TIME JUMP

Pepper walked in the house to find Tony in his room drinking. At ones she knew that something had happened. _Wasn't Ray supposed to look after him?_ She mentally said. "Tony, what's wrong?" she asked.

"Nothing." He said and Pepper could smell his breath of strong alcohol and she knew something was wrong.

"Where's Ray?" she asked.

"I don't know" he replied flatly.

Pepper was confused. _Why would you say that?_ She mentally said. "What do you mean."

"Go freshen up, Pepper." He said avoiding the topic.

Later that day Tony called Ray. "Ray, where are you?" she asked in a frustrated tone.

"Out." She replied in the same tone Tony was talking in.

"Where out?" she asked in an authorative tone.

"Not at home, somewhere safe, you don't need to worry, what do you want?"

"What happened?" she asked.

"Nothing." She replied.

Pepper rolled her eyes. "Then why aren't you home?"

"I don't feel like being at home." She said cutting her phone line. She really didn't want to talk to anyone about this. Not right now. She had drove a long way from home and had only realised it when the petrol tank of her car emptied. She had hired a hotel room. It wasn't a five star hotel which she was normally used to. But it was a three star one with one small bedroom, a bathroom, a T.V. the full apartment wasn't even the size of her room. but she could manage. Right now she could manage anywhere where Tony wasn't. She was thankful that people didn't know her here. Actually it was a place where all the lower class people stayed. Tony would kill her if he knew that she was saying in such a place. She only got out ones to buy a burger for dinner and a pack of cigarettes and sleeping pills.

Right now she was sitting in her room watching T.V smoking her third cigarette when suddenly her phone vibrated. "Steve!" she greeted trying to sound normal.

"Hey Rayne! What are you doing?"

"Nothing...just watching a little T.V. You?"

"Nothing. So I called you."

"Ooh!"

"Did I disturb you?"

"No. Not at all."

"Actually you are the first one I have interacted to. So I was kinda missing you, you know?"

"I'm sorry Steve. I was kinda busy with company and other stuff so I couldn't call."

"Come on! It's not your fault."

"Hmm..."

Ray talked for long. It actually felt good talking to someone. It made her feel light. By the time she kept her phone, she had finished her pack of cigarettes. It was 1o' clock at night and she slipped in two sleeping pills and went to bed. She soon felt the pills take over her and she drifted to deep sleep where she didn't need to worry about everything that was happening around her.

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Tony sat down in his lab. He didn't feel like working. Ever since he saw Ray's angry face he felt his heart ache. He felt as if they were moving apart from each other as if they did not understand each other's feelings. And the more she is growing older, the more is the difference increasing.

 **That's it for today. Chapter 24. Tell me what you feel about it. I would love to know. So please review.**

 **Bye!**

 **ImaginationsUnleashed**


	25. Chapter 25

**Yes, I know I said that I would update early. But damn, I had been really busy. Just let my finals end, and I'll be updating in proper intervals. Just trust me, I wouldn't let you all down with the story and stick with me.**

 **Chapter 25**

Ray got up lazily and went to the washroom to wash her face only to jump in shock. The water was so damn cold! _They don't even have a geyser?_ She mentally cursed. She could hardly wash up that day and then she got out to buy a burger for breakfast. She bought another pack of cigarettes and went back to her room. She didn't like the atmosphere of the place. After a little sleep she had actually calmed down. She could think on what had happened last day clearly and when she did, she ended up feeling guilty for what she had said. But then again the thought struck her; she may have been wrong in choosing her words. But she really did have a point! Yet she felt like an idiot for talking to her brother like that who was just trying to be responsible. _I am a bitch!_ She said in frustration.

At late evening she realised that she was left with no money. She had finished half of it in cigarettes. Not that she was carrying a lot of cash. She was always dependent on her credit cards but fuck, she had left them all in her office while she came here! She had carried her phone but even it was estinguished of battery. _I should have refuelled the car before finishing all the money._ She thought. But she was never one to think before spending money. She never needed to do so. So after dinner she went out to a nearby phone booth. She forced her mind, tried hard to remember a number. But the only number she could remember was Tony's. She took a deep breath and dialled it. After a few rings, he picked up. "Hello?" his voice came up.

"Tony?" she said.

"Ray? Where are you?" he exclaimed. It was evident from his voice that he was worried and Ray knew it at ones.

"I'm estinguisehd of all resources and my phone is dead and the car is out of fuel."

"Happy is out." He said.

"No one else can come?"

There was a pause on the other end. "I'll come. Where are you?"

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Ray woke up at five next day. She was disturbed. She couldn't sleep even after taking the sleeping pills. So she hung along the pack of cigarettes.

"Mac Downey Street, Modern Apartment, room no 21." Repeated Tony. "Of so many places in New York, she had to choose this place." He grumbled. He didn't like his sister staying in such a place of New York all alone. He found the room and knocked the door. She opened the door as Tony entered the room. He browsed his eyes through the room. he was already not happy with his appearance when he noticed the pack of cigarette on the desk with a few other empty boxes beside it. Ray followed his gaze and then rolled her eyes. She walked up to the desk, picked the packs and threw them in the bin. "Can we go?" she asked. "Yeah." Said Tony as they drove back.

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Tony sat down in his garage late at night not because he was working but because didn't feel like sleeping. Everything was a mess and he had no idea how to fix it. That's when Ray came in and seated herself beside her brother. It was she way of saying sorry. She would never say it out loud but Tony always when she actually meant it. He knew it now too. But he didn't react more because he didn't know how to. What could he possibly say? He hadn't been in such a situation with his sister before! He looked at her and gave her a faint smile and noticed she slightly red eyes and he knew she must have been crying. "Why?" she said, almost in a whisper. "Why would you do that? Why would you make me go through this so many times? It's freaking me now." Tony pulled his sister toward him and made her face him but soon as her eyes met his, she put her arms around his neck. "Aah...you're choking me!" he joked but didn't get the reaction he expected. Instead he heard light sobs coming from his sister. He instinctively put his arms around her and lightly kissed her cheek. All these days he had been accepting the truth that he was dying. But today, when he was holding his sister in his arms, he felt his heart heavy. The fact that he wouldn't be able to hug his sister, play pranks on her, irritate her and most of all to see her made his heart ache. "Come on kid. Why are you worrying?" he said. "Listen, it's okay, I'm fine with it, really!" but all Ray did was cry harder. "it's going to be fine." He said in an insisting tone. "Nothing would be fine you idiot!" she said hitting him on his chest. He smiled at how childish she was being. He pulled her now red nose; something he used to do when she was around seven. He wiped her tears as she calmed herself a bit. Tony smiled at his sister. He knew it. She would never take it easy on herself. That's the reason why he hid it from her. But things had changed. They aren't as he had planned them and he had no idea how to handle the situation. "Tone?" Ray called breaking Tony out of his trance. "You know, i never meant what I said that day...I... I could never mean such a thing. I love you! I want you to be there by my side. I...I...was just..." "Hey." He said sushing her. "I know. It's okay."

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Next morning when Pepper came down to the garage she found both t he siblings working together on another car which was a good symbol to her. She knew it meant whatever problem the siblings were having had been sorted out and that things were back to normal between them.

She sighed at how unpredictable the Starks were. One day they fight and refuse to see each other's face and the other day, they wouldn't leave each other's sight for a second. "It's a sibling thing, Peppy." Ray had ones said as a kid. But she never understood these feelings. She herself was the only daughter and had no sibling. Maybe that's the reason why she never understood it. All she knew that the Straks were dependent on each other. They were each other's oxygen tank, the very necessity of survival andthat they could do anything for each other.

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Tony and Ray went up to the dining space for their breakfast. The T.V. was on and was tuned in a news channel. "An estimated 500 people died where a bomb blasted in Malfoy, a small village in outskirts of California. 200 people are reported to be admitted in a hospital and several others are missing. Tony Stark, who was there at the time of the rescue spot couldn't stop the massacre. Only a few days back at the Grand Prix , a man had attacked Tony Stark with the same technology that he claimed did not exist anywhere else. The question arises, is Tony Stark the hero he claims to b..."

"Mute." Tony said muting the T.V. "I know I may sound stupid but what happened?" Ray asked.

"An attack took place and the press are blaming Tony because he couldn't resist it." Pepper informed.

"What? How can they?"

"You know how they are!"

"That's stupid! Tony don't take it on yourself." Ray said. Tony didn't reply to that. He rather changed the topic. "So what are your plans for today?" he asked.

"Nothing as such. Gonna work in my lab today. With my tech."

"That sounds good. And then you are going to meet us at the office, look over your wing ones." Said Pepper.

"Yes ma'am." She replied.

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"Voila, where are we?" said Ray as she sat down in her lab working. It had been three hours Tony and Pepper had left for the Expo and Ray had been working ever since.

"Your designs are ready analysed. But there are still terabytes of calculations left to be done." Replied Voila. She had been interested in designing a suit like Iron Man that would be completely base on sound energy for time being. She has no idea why she was making it. She wasn't interesting in all the avenging stuff her brother does, yet she was doing it.

"Show me the analysis." Said Ray as the virtual image of the suit came in front of her. She had been working when Voila interrupted her. "Umm... ma'am, Mr John is here and is asking for you."

"John?"

"Your P.A. ma'am. You had called him. He has been appointed in your absence by Miss Potts."

"I see. Lets meet him."

Ray walked up to the main hall where John was waiting. "Umm... Miss Stark, I'm John, your P.A. I have been appointed by Miss Potts in your absence. She sent me here to give you these files."

"Hi, John. Nice to meet you."

"It's an honour ma'am." He said. Ray rolled her eyes at how formal he was being.

"Alright, John, since you are working for me there are a few set of rules you need to follow. One, don't call me so formally. Rayne is fine. Two, do make sure everything is in order when I reach the office since I don't want to be delayed by unruly work. Three, you have the right to put froth your views and thoughts. Since you have a good degree. Thought it depends on me if I want to agree. Fourth, when I say something I mean it. Okay, as of now I want you to back to your office and meet Maria. She'll explain you your work and she'll give you a file. Read it and feel free to ask me anything regarding it. You may go." She said. "Yes." Said John leaving. He looked a little clumsy to her. Though it was his first day and he surely was nervous. She can only expect him to learn her ways with time.

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Ray was still in her lab working with her designs. The T.V. was on and Tony was on the screen. The press was swarming around him to ask several questions. They were accusing him for something he didn't do. And this was pissing off Ray. One even went to the extent of asking him if he would ever forgive himself for letting so many people die. Though he managed to ignore them all and make his way inside the main building of the Expo.

Ray got up. She had to go to the Expo. "Voila, call Happy." She said. Pepper called her on her way. "Ray, be careful. The press will be attacking you at ones."

"Don't worry. I'll handle them. They need a strong reply to hut their mouths." She said. She hated the press. She really sometimes felt like smacking a few reporters but she simply can't acuse she's the one infront of the camera.

Ray got down of the car and made her way to the main building making a clicking sound of her insane heels that she ware in every occasion as Happy cleared her way. As expected, the press swarmed around her. "Miss Stark, what do you have to say about the Malfoy incident?" asked one reporter. "What is your brother doing?" asked another. "500 dead, 200 injured and so many others still missing. The public wants answers. Does Mr. Stark feel guilty?" She stopped at the highest step and then turned towards them and waited for them to stop the hustle-bustle. "Why should my brother feel guilty?" she asked in a calm voice and looked straight at the brunette.

"Your brother is running away from his duties." He said.

"His duties?"

"His duty to protect the people of America."

"Isn't that supposed to be the duty of the military?"

"But Miss Stark, he is expected to share his resources for the service and protection of America." Came up the reporter Ray couldn't stand; Catherine Everheart.

"He has the same citizenship that you all have, I don't know what makes him different."

"His Iron Man suit." She spat.

Ray took a breath and then looked up at Catherine with her full attitude. "My brother has a toy, the Iron Man suit as you all call it. He puts it on everyday to and protect innocent people putting his life on line not because it is his responsibility but because he wants to do something for the people. That doesn't make him responsible for peace and security of America." She felt her temper rise but still she controlled herself and tried to look as polite as possible. "You should be thankful to him for all the times he has saved you rather than blaming him for stuff that he should not be blamed for. You should have the tiniest amount of courtesy. I don't know why he serves the people who don't even give him the respect he deserves."

"Are you saying that you don't support him in being iron man? Aren't you proud?"

Ray finched. "I...I am proud of him. I am proud of everything he does and I am proud of every inch the man he is! But believe me, no one would like the sight of him when he returns home late at night in that suit all exhausted." She didn't cross so ray went on. "Blaming someone is easy. Try to get in his shoes. I bet you wouldn't last fifteen minutes. So before you raise a figure on him, think twice. That's all." She said leaving behind the reporters. Some of them called her back but she had already said what she wanted to, so walked off into the main arena of the building to Pepper's office.

"You had them!" exclaimed Pepper as she entered.

"Yeah, someone had to shut their beaks!" she said in an irritated tone as she seated herself on the sofa at the corner of the room beside Pepper and placed her leg on the coffee table. Pepper glared. "Ooh, sorry, CEO!" she said. Pepper rolled her eyes. She knew that she was talking about manners but she loved teasing her nevertheless.

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"Ray your machine, your employees." Said Tony bursting into Ray's office room and threw a huge file on her desk.

"I thought you were supposed to do it for me. Moreover, I hate paper work." Ray said.

"I don't work before my birthday." Tony said sitting infront of Ray on her desk. "Remember, you need to choose the best of the best." He said.

"How the heck am I supposed to do that when all I know about them is from a piece of paper!" she exclaimed.

"That's what we all do, Ray." Tony said as he walked out of the office. _Damn it!_ Ray mentally cursed.

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 **So here's the update. I hope you liked it. I'll be back with the next update later. Till then, Bye!**

 **ImaginationsUnleashed.**


	26. Chapter 26

**Hey everyone! I am back with another update of my fic. I am not going to take much time here. Just jumping to the Chapter.**

 **Chapter 26**

Ray was tired that night and on top of that she was having a headache after all the work she had done at the office. She was humming some song, too softly for anyone to make out, though one could understand it wasn't one of the songs that she and Tony normally listened to. "I can't believe that's the girl I raised up." Tony remarked.

"Why would you say that?" asked Ray.

"Oh come on. I thought you were a rock song type!" he exclaimed.

"I depends on the mood." She replied. Surely she wasn't in the mood to listen to some loud music when her head was pounding.

"What's wrong?" Tony asked reading her expression.

"Nothing." She replied. _Atleast I will be when I take an asprin, but I can't take it as long as you are in my room._ She mentally said.

"Having a head ache again?" Tony seemed to have read her mind.

"Tone—"

"What can I do for you?"

"Nothing. I just need to sleep. You can just leave me alone."

"So that you can take your sleeping pills?"

"Tony please!"

"Ray whatever you are doing is not right! You are behaving like an addict." Ray rolled her eyes. "Why the hell are you doing this? We can just get a check up and you'll be fine and why the hell do you need sleeping pills?"

"Tony, I really am now in the condition to speak right now." She said taking out her sleeping pills but Tony snatched it. "No!" he said.

"Tony please just give it back to me." Ray said, but he didn't. Instead her pulled on her bed and lightly massaged her head. "Tony, you really don't need to do this!" Ray exclaimed. "Shut up!" was the only thing Tony said.

Slowly Ray felt sleep taking over her and soon she could hardly keep her eyes open. She was aware of someone tucking her in her bed. Tony pecked her on her cheek before whispering "I love you, kiddo.", in her ears but she was too tired to reply.

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Ray was lying down on some hard floor and was barely able to move. Her breath was so heavy that she was getting tired of just trying to breathe. Something was on top of her. Something too heavy. But she could barely make out what. Suddenly something rolled her so that she was now lying down on her chest. She saw Tony. It was impossible for her to make out what he was doing. "Ray." She heard Tony say. "We have to go."Now Ray felt as if she was standing but Tony wasn't looking at her. He was looking downwards. "Tony?" she walked up to him slowly. As he turned around she got the greatest shock ever. His face was bloody and scarred. "Naaaah!" she screamed.

Ray sat up on her bed and rubbed her face with her palms. _'Damn!'_ she mumbled. She had the feeling she had after every nightmare. Luckily she didn't shout out loud or Tony would have come running in. Ray got out of her bed. There was no way she would be sleeping again. Moreover, it was 3:30 now. That meant she slept more than regular. The only problem she had was that she was having a headache and luckily her brother had removed her aspirins. _Perfect torture!_

 _Maybe some music can help._ She thought and browsed through her playlist chose a song of her choice, plugged the earphones and dug her face back in her pillow.

AT TONY'S GARAGE

"Jarvis, did you analyse Ray?" asked Tony.

"I'm on it, sir." Replied the obedient A.I. There was silent for sometime before he spoke up again. "My analysis shows that Miss. Stark has migrane disorder at a level of 8."

Tony sighed. He couldn't understand why she hadn't told him about her problem. He wanted to help but how could he when she herself was ignorant about it?

Then Tony had a phone call. "Stark, is that you?"

"No its Jackie Chan speaking on Tony Stark's cell phone." He said as he rolled his eyes. He wasn't in the mood to entertain people calling him in the middle of the night and asking him nonsense. "hihs is Fury. Need to meet." He said.

"No, I'm busy." He replied.

"This is important Stark." He said and Tony turned around to find him standing behind him. He almost jumped in shock. _How the hell did he get in?_ He thought but he properly covered his shock. "Do you even knock?" he said. "Listen, Captain Jack Sparrow, I'm busy." He said. "Its something you might be interested in." He said.

IN RAY'S ROOM 

"Ma'am, there's a suspecious looking guy in the house talking to ." she informed. "Show me." She said as the virtual screen appeared in front of her. "The guy from the museum?!" she exclaimed. "He introduced himself as Nick Fury, the director of SHIELD." Replied the A.I. "He was talking about something called the Avengers Initaitive." _What is that?_ She thought.

"Do you know anything about the Superior Super Soldier Serum?"asked Nick. Ray finched.

"How the hell am I supposed o know that?" Tony asked.

"The Starks are the one who had been playing main role in the S4 project. I thought maybe your father told you something."

"My father didn't wish me good morning." He replied.

"Then he may have left some clue in your old house. We have to go. This is important."

At this Ray knew that she had to accompany her brother by hook or by crook. She rushed down the stairs and then stood just at the entrance of the main hall. "Where are you going?" she asked pretending that she knew nothing. "What did I tell you about eavesdropping?" Tony asked. He knew her too well. "Oh come on!" she exclaimed.

Ray quickly slipped into a regular jeans and a T-Shirt. Fury had landed his copter on their helipad and he asked then to follow him in it. "It's too small." Tony complained ones in. Fury didn't reply to this. He wasn't in the mood to entertain Tony's billionaire playboy attitude. They were off to California.

"Couldn't sleep?" Tony asked on their way in a soft voice but loud enough for Ray to hear.

"Had enough." She replied as if it was nothing at all though she knew she wouldn't be able to hide her problems from Tony. But luckily, he let it go for time being.

They reached at around five in the morning. Their old house was near the woods. It was a quiet place specially chosen by Maria Stark herself. It was different from their present houses. Both Tony and Ray whenever designed their homes went for latest designs while most of their old houses were decorated in oriental style. Both Ray and Tony felt the old feeling come back when they stood in front of the Stark Mansion. It was a bit dusty but still the same. The cream coloured walls, the coffee coloured decore and the granite floors, the piano and the sofa near it, all brought back memories from childhood. Tony seemed to ignore these feeling and walked to the place where the intended to. Though Ray was instinctively driven towards the piano. She pressed a key. Tony almost jumped in reaction and then gave her a _don't-do-it_ look. Ray though rolled her eyes obeyed.

It was around seven in the morning. They were still browsing through Howard's stuff. Ray had to reach the Expo at 7:30 but wasn't possible anymore. She texted John and told home that she was away and was busy and that she wasn't sure when she would return. John replied soon that he would take care of the work there and keep her updated. She smiled. John was technically a good P.A. "Shall I take a trip of my own?" asked Fury while they was sitting sitting on the sofa. "Sure thing. Go for it." Tony replied.

Ray stared at the whole house. She wasn't used to being there anymore yet it felt strangely homely and welcoming. She was looking at the pictures on the wall but it was dusty. They had actually neglected this place, they never felt like going there. That's the reason why the place wasn't eve cleaned properly.

Tony followed his sister's gaze and then walked towards the photo frames as Ray joined him too. Though dusty they were able to see the pictures. The biggest one was their family picture; the 15 year old Tony hugging Maria and the 6 year old Ray on Howard's lap. "Did you notice?" Tony spoke up. "What?" asked Ray. "You had a blunt nose." he joked making the atmosphere a little light. "No I didn't!" exclaimed Ray. "You did!" Tony said poking her nose as Ray hit him lightly on his arm.

 **So here's the update. I know, its short; shorter than you expected. Actually I had a plan but then I ended up cancelling it. So you see, I messed it up. But don't worry, the next chapter will be longer and I'll try to update sooner.**

 **ImaginationsUnleashed**


	27. Chapter 27

**Chapter 27**

"Where had you both been?" asked Pepper. "I came at 9 and you weren't there. Now it 10 and... and.. do you both have a little bit of responsibility to call me?"

"We went out at mid night. We were busy so we couldn't call later." Tony said.

"I had texted John. Didn't he tell you?"

"Yeah, he did when I called him and he said he had no idea when you would return!" Pepper told her. "Where did you go?" she asked. "Out, Pep." Tony said not mentioning where they had actually gone. Pepper sighed loudly. So many years with the Starks, still she couldn't understand them.

"Alright we need to freshen up" said Ray.

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Ray and Tony did their regular choars and then went to the Expo. Ray sat with her legs on her table when john came in. "Ray, I bought you the progress reports, you need to sign in these files and you have to go to a company's progress party at 7:30 today."

"John, I don't go to these parties."

"Miss Potts told me to inform you that you have to go." Ray flinched. Why the hell would she have to go there? They are boring as always and there, all she has to do is meet the deligates and other so called important people and say nothing but- 'nice to meet you.. blah blah blah!' "Wait, I'll talk to her." She said as she called Pepper. "Pepper, what is this? Whhyy amI being forced to attend the party?" she said as soon as she picked up.

"Because you are a Stark and it is your responsibility." She replied plainly.

"Pep, I hate these parties!" she exclaimed.

"And you think I love them?"

"I thought you loved doing business."

"Shut up Ray."

"Pepper please cover up for me."

"No Ray. You have to come, and Tony too. I can't do this all alone."

"Okay." She said rolling her eyes and then hanging up. "John, sure everything is ready."

"Yes Ray." He said.

Tony suddenly bursted in her room. "Ray!" he said "You're on the front page." He threw the news paper on her table. Her short conversation with the reporters last day ha d brought her in the front page of almost every news paper. "You are great." Said Tony as Ray nodded smiling. "You had them on their hips!" he said as John stood there awkwardly. "Yeah." Said Ray.

"I'm going for a drive. Wanna join?" asked Tony. Ray knew why he was saying that. They were not used to going back to their old home and now both of them needed some air. "Sure thing." She said getting up and then turning to John. "John, go to Pepper after five mimnnutes and tell her tat Tony and I am going out and that we'll be back before the party."

"I can go now." John said.

"No, I want you to tell her after we leave."

"Okay." He said smiling.

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Tony drove to the sea side. It was quite empty, not crowded and a fresh air was blowing. It was a welcoming feeling. It was different from their normal rides together. Normally they would have music playing loudly and they would chat non-stop, not giving rest to their larynx for ones. But today, none of the Starks felt like switching on the music system and they hardly spoke through the ride.

They sat in their car in front of the huge Pacific Ocean chatting about simple stuff. Ray smelled the smell of the ocean. It was so soothing. After a long time she actually felt relaxed. She placed her legs on the wind shied and closed her eyes while Tony remained lost in thought. Suddenly Ray felt as if her ears would burst with a screeching noise. "What's that?" she asked.

"What's what?" Tony asked.

"The noise!" she said holding her ears as it grew louder.

"What noise?" asked Tony. He could hear nothing but the sound of the waves of the ocean. "Ray I hear nothing."

"Tony, are you insane? This noise is killing me!" she screamed and almost cried her ears were freaking aching.

"Ray, what's wrong?" Tony asked seeing the tensed look on his sister's face and was about to hold her when suddenly a missile hit right in front of them. Tony called his suitand shielded Ray from the second missile that hit while Ray still sat clutching her ears. As he flew with Ray on his back their car blasted below them. "Ray, how did you hear that? That is supposed to be ultrasonic!" he exclaimed.

"I...I don't know..." she said weakly before tumbling off his back. She fainted. Luckily Tony caught her in time.

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Ray had fever. The doctor said that it was just stress fever. Of course Tony didn't tell her that she heard ultrasonic sound! Right now she was asleep. She did need some rest. Afterall, she didn't have a good night sleep. But Tony still couldn't understand how could she hear the sound of a missile coming at them.

He called Pepper. "Hey, Pep!" he said trying o sound normal.

"Tony, I'm busy... Tell me if it's important."

"Yes, it's about Ray. She has a bit of stress fever. She's sleeping. We wouldn't be there for lunch." He said.

"What? Is she okay?"

"Yeah, she's fine. Just needs to rest."

"Okay... Call me if you need." And she hung up and Tony walked to check on his sister. "Jarvis, I want her stats." He said.

"She still has a hundred and four degree fever, sir. Other stats seem to be normal." Replied Jarvis. Tony sat down on the recliner of the living room trying to recollect whatever had happened.

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Ray sat up n her bed. Her head was literally pounding. It took her some time to register her surroundings. Then she recalled what had happened. She flinched. _I think Tony bought me home._ She thought. Her head ache was resisting her to think anything more than that. She was feeling the urge to close her eye and go back to sleep again but couldn't do that either.

Ray forced herself off her bed and looked in her bed drawers. _Tony had removed the aspirins._ She recalled. _Fuck!_ She walked down to the living room to find Tony sitting on the sofa. She went there and sat down on the sofa with a thud. "Hey, how are you?" he asked.

"I don't know." She said.

"What happened?"

"I have no fucking idea." She said in a tone of irritation.

"What's wrong?" Tony asked looking at her.

"Nothing!" she replied but Tony always knew better.

"Headache?"

"Yeah." She replied as she rested her head on the back of the sofa.

"I'll call the doctor."

"Tony, please, I just need an aspirin!"she exclaimed.

"No" Tony replied flatly and asking Jarvis to make the call.

Doctor Jenny checked Ray and concluded that she had migrane. Well, Tony had guessed that long back. He just wished that it was only migrane and nothing else. He wanted that things to be perfect before he dies. But everything in his life was just messing up!

"You want something?" Tony asked Ray ones Jenny left. Ray was feeling better then.

"I'm hungry." She replied.

"Should I order?" Tony asked.

"Yup... we better eat before we go to the party." Ray replied.

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 **Hey everyone! Yes I'm alive. I was just away for a few days, busy studying. I'm so sorry for the delay. I know, even I hate it if a story I'm reading is left ending for days. But trust me, I have nothing that I can do. Chemistry is killing me! I just have to give more time to hat subject. But its just this year. Wait till my board exams are over. Then I'll give you treats of long and interesting chapters.**

 **Anyways. I'll try to make the next chapters longer. Please review. It means a lot.**

 **Bye till then!**

 **ImaginationsUnleashed**


	28. Chapter 28

**Chapter 28**

Ray was ready for the party in her dark blue backless dress. Her appearance was perfect for a millionaire playboy's sister and the future heir of Stark Industries and her attitude was in perfect match with it, witty and pretty. Anyone could fall on for the fourteen year old. No wonder she already had a huge fan followings. Right now, Ray was struggling to choose the right shoes she could wear. Just then John entered. "Miss Stark, I have your things ready for the party. Everything you asked for is here."

"Thanks John." She replied still staring at the huge rack of shoes.

"Whoa Ray! You have a huge collection of shoes!" he exclaimed.

"Hmm... two less than Pepper." She subconsciously replied.

"Wow!"

"John, do you think you can help me in choosing the right heels for tonight?"

"I...I can try." Replied John as he walked towards the huge shoe rack, browsing his eyes on each one of them before stopping on the white heels. "How about these?" he asked.

"Umm..not bad." Replied Ray kind of acknowledging his choice. "Nice." She said

"And Ray, can I tell me something else?"

"Shoot it." She said carrying on with wearing her shoes.

"Put a darker shade of lipstick. It'll look nice on you." he said before leaving making Ray blush a bit.

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As the black Audi pulled into the red carpet both Ray and Tony were ready with their best practiced smile that looked more natural than their real smiles, after all, they were great fakers. Ray took s long breath before getting down as cameras flashed at her. Being a Stark, she had been literally living in it. Though she wasn't too fond of the media, she didn't hate it either.

Ray felt Tony's arm go around her waist and the other through Pepper's as they posed for the camera. Ray's smile grew wider, this time a real one, realising how complete they looked with each other. She loved the feeling of being together.

As Tony guided Ray trough the crowd, they were greeted by Mr. Thompson and his son Flash. **(A/N: If you are a marvel fan, I'm sure you know who he is!)** "Mr. Thompson!" Tony greeted with a fake smile as he pulled Ray towards him instinctively. He hated both the Thompsons for two reasons. One, both the Thompsons had a bag full of attitude and they believed they were same as the Starks though their inventions were all primary and Flash who is exactly as old as Ray was still in school studying in school with normal boys and girls. Two, Flash had been flirting with Ray ever since he had attained an age and Tony knew even his father supported it. They wanted to come in relationship with the Starks for their money and Tony knew that they could do anything for it.

"Mr. Stark, so nice to meet you again." He said. "You too Miss. Stark and Miss. Potts."

"It's a pleasure." Said Pepper as Ray just responded with the smile. She wasn't in the mood to talk to them.

Tony finished the chat in a nutshell before pulling both his girls towards the other direction. "I hate that son of a bitch!" Tony exclaimed when they were away from them near the bar. "Me too." Ray agreed. Pepper smiled looking at the irritated faces of the Starks. "Don't smile; you got us into this shit." Ray told Pepper. "Hey, don't dump all the duties on me. You guys were supposed to help me." Pepper replied. "Anyways, I need to go to and meet those delegates."

"They are just CEOs of some companies that are invited here" Tony said.

"Yeah, the ones we do business with." Pepper replied in a very obvious tone. "You guys joining?"

"I am not the CEO. What's the use?" Tony said with a sly smile making Pepper roll her eyes as she turned to Ray. "I do the research stuff. I have no work there." Ray said backing off.

"Fine!" said Pepper before walking towards them.

Tony turned towards the bartender. "I need a Vodka Martini. Make it dirty.", he said.

"Need something else?" asked the bartender turning towards Ray.

"Umm..." Ray was about to say before Tony spoke for her. "She'll take a light one. With more orange juice." Tony said.

"Can I please order my own drink?" Ray asked in an annoyed tone.

"No. That's the only thing that is suitable for you to drink." He said as Ray rolled her eyes and the bartender placed their order on the bar table.

"Stop being such an asshole." Ray said.

"Language!" Tony said.

Pepper was talking with a guy Ray knew as Mr. James Murray, the CEO of Murray Enterprises. He was a good looking person and the perfect example of a gentleman, like the ones from fairytales. Though neither Tony wasn't a fantasy person, he couldn't deny the amount of chivalry the man gave out. Moreover, Tony knew that he wasn't the kind of guy that suits as a hero of a fairytale. He was a playboy after all! Ray noticed Tony staring at James. "Feeling jealous, bro?" Ray joked.

"Nah!" he said breaking out of his trance though it was very evident from his face that he didn't like it when Pepper talked with him. "Well, he is a nice guy." Ray went on with her teasing. She found it quite amusing that Tony Stark, the billionaire, playboy, who rules the heart of so many girls, felt insecure when his girl talked to other guys. "Shut up, Ray!" he said knowing exactly what his sister was doing. "Awe, come on! She's just talking to her!" she exclaimed.

"No... There is nothing like that!"

"Tony... it's all over your face!"

"Actually, it's just that, I really didn't want to lose her."

Ray smiled at him before chirping out, "You know what, go and steal her!"

"What?"

"Go and steal her!" she pushed him to their direction. Tony gave her a 'are-you-sure' look before making his way towards them.

Ray turned around and took a sip of the sip that Tony ordered for her and filched. It was too sweet. She didn't like it. "Want me to buy one for you?" she turned around to find flash standing behind. She mentally screamed. "No." She said trying to hide her irritation.

"Come on! One drink wouldn't matter."

"No thanks. I buy my own drink." She replied.

"Oh, so would you like to dance?"

"No please!" she said this time showing him a bit of irritation though she maintained a smiling face considering the amount press around the place. She didn't want to end up on the front page of the news paper next day. "That would be the last thing I would like to do."

"Oh please!" he said pulling her she tried to move away but she had nothing to do. She looked around to find her brother and to her dissatisfaction, he wasn't there, neither was Pepper. 'They had to make out now?' she mentally cursed. Ray felt him place his hands on her waist and rubbing them as he slowly moved to her bare back. This time she cursed her dress. As e went further she stepped on flash's foot with heels. "Oops! Did it hurt?" she said with an evil grin and flash knew that she had done it intentionally but he smiled and kept on touching her below her hair. She wanted to punch him but the fucking press was around her. "You know what, we should meet some time, somewhere alone." He said.

"Oh yes, so that I can beat the shit out of you without the press knowing." She said this time hitting him harder on his foot. "Aah!" he exclaimed but was too stubborn to leave. Ray was now feeling uncomfortable with Flash. She looked around and to her relief found Tony and Pepper come out of the balcony. Pepper was blushing frantically while Tony had a wide smirk pasted around his face. 'Must have kissed.' She mentally thought.

As Tony's eyes shifted to his sister he flinched. 'What the fuck?' he thought as Ray gave him a 'help-me' look and he was there on his duty of rescuing her. "Thompson, that's enough of a dance. Can I have my sister back?" Tony asked in a polite tone but glaring at Flash at the same time.

"More like, stealing." He said in a joking tone but Tony didn't give a fuck.

"No, cause she in no condition can be yours. So just back off." She said pulling Ray towards him and shooing Flash away. "Shall we?" Tony asked Ray as she quite happily accepted his offer to dance. "You okay?" Tony asked while dancing. "Yeah, I survived him." Ray replied in a joking tone. "So how was it?" she asked changing the topic.

"Alright, you noticed?" Tony asked kind of shocked.

"Of course I did!"

"It was good." He said smiling.

"Just good?" Ray teased. Tony just smiled wider making Ray grin.

Ray kept staring at her brother. He looked so happy. She always wanted him to stay like that. Not take all the responsibilities, the load of the whole world on his shoulders. It made her heart ache, that the person she loved so much, the person she could die for, her brother, her only family was dying. He was so close to death and she could do nothing about it. Ray restrained the tears that were trying to well out of her eyes. She didn't want to cry. She didn't want to ruin the moment.

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Tony couldn't sleep. Ever since he learnt about the palladium poisoning his blood. He took out his blood tester and checked his blood, _67% blood toxicity,_ it read. He took a deep breath before walking down to his garage only to find Ray sitting there in front of her computers.

Ray had analysed herself. The only explanation she had for hearing ultrasonic sound is that maybe when she had been in the accident, her audibility limit was altered somehow. So she sat there recording her stats. "Voila," she called, "sound level 20000Hz." She said as the sound of 20kHz rushed into her eardrums through the earphone. It was only played for a fraction of second. It was the highest audible sound a normal human being could hear but his could have made them deaf. But in her case, she could take it, though she felt it was quite loud. "500+, louder." She said she could bear that too. "1000+" she said. "Umm...ma'am, I would prefer you should do this step by step." Said the A.I. "Voila, what are the chances that I would listen to you?"

"Negligible ma'am." She replied

"Then what are we waiting for? Do it!" she said as a loud sound rushed into her ear canal. She wasn't ready for this and fell on the floor taking off the ear phones off her ears. "Fuck!" she said holding her head. She could hear her head buzzing and it was aching.

"Ray!" Tony, who had been watching her all the while approached her and helped her get up. "Are you okay?" he asked

"Tone, what are you doing here?" she asked.

"What are you doing?!" he crossed questioned.

"I...I was just ... working." She replied still holding her ears.

"You okay?" he asked in a worried tone.

"Yeah, I'm fine." She said sitting back on the chair with a thud and lifting her legs on the seat.

"Do you have a headache."

"I said I'm fine!"

"Why are you doing this?"

"I am doing what?"

"Why aren't you telling me your problems?" Tony asked in accusing tone. He hated it when Rat kept things from him. "Let me help you!" Ray rolled her eyes. She wasn't in the mood to listen to her brother giving her lectures on what is good for her. "Why wouldn't you tell me?" he said again this time in a softer tone.

"Did you?" she said accusingly looking at him, right into his eyes. Tony could still see the anger, the annoyance, the hurt still flutter in her eyes for a moment before she looked away maybe to hide the tears that had welled up in her eyes. "Sorry, just forget it." She mumbled. "You can help." She flipped the virtual screen towards him before walking in the other direction but Tony kept staring at her. He was aware of the fact that his sister was hurt. And the only reason behind that was he himself. But he also knew that he had nothing that he could do about it. He deeply sighed before looking into the screen in front of him.

Ray and Tony worked for hours. Tony was shocked to read Ray's data. She had been subjected to a huge amount of radiation while she was in the blast, so much that anyone could have been dead. But she had survived it and walked out with a few radiation burns that were gone now leaving her skin flawless again. All that it concluded that Ray's audibility limit had extended to a range of 2000Hz on both the extremes but she couldn't bear the sound when it exceeded 1000 on the higher extreme. "Cool!" ray exclaimed reading her own stats. Even Tony knowing the seriousness of the situation, couldn't deny that it was pretty amazing that his sister could hear the sounds of nature that no one else could. "Yeah, but it's pretty late now. You should go to sleep." Tony said as Ray nodded though she doubted if she could sleep without her pills specially with the headache.

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 **Don't kill me. I know, I'm late again but what can I possibly do? No matter how much we hate it, studied are important and I need to do it. Anyways, you must have noticed the past few chapters are a little Ray-Tony centred. These are important. Don't worry I have a long story planned out. And you will get a few twists in the plot too. So just stick with me.**

 **So Spiderman Homecomings' release date is near. Though I have my exams from 3** **rd** **July. I have to wait till the 14** **th** **till I can watch the film. Can't wait!**

 **Anyways, I guess I'll update next after the exams. I'm going to be quite busy.**

 **Please review cause it means a lot. Tell me how you feel and if you want me to add something to the story. I'll surely read your suggestions.**

 **Bye till then!**

 **Love you all!**

 **ImaginationsUnleashed**


	29. Chapter 29

**Hey guys! I'm here back again. How are you all? Oh! It feels like it has been ages since I last updated. I am so sorry. I really have no time. Infact I am even not sure when again am I going to touch my laptop. I try to be regular but I can't promise anything.**

 **Here's the update. Hope you all like it!  
**

**Chapter 29**

It was 5 in the morning. Ray's head was pounding. She did go with three hours of continuous sleep and it was pretty impressive 'cause she did it without her sleeping pills. She looked at the clock and grumbled. Tony was asleep, so was Pepper. What could she possibly do right now? She jumped off her bed and went down to the kitchen. Perhaps a cup of coffee could sooth her paining head. The she headed back to her room. She felt like working on a theory that had recently popped in her head while she was at the hospital. Considering she wouldn't be disturbed in the next 2 hours she sat down scribbling in her diary occationally taking a sip of the dark coffee she had prepaired for herself.

 _Ultrasonic sound waves._ She went on thinking. _Mechanical waves can break substances, crack glasses and when louder and concentrated in a narrow beam... maybe... even harder objects!_

After about 2 hours of fidgeting in her diary and tonns of calculations, she came up with a theory, rather a thought. If she can concentrate sound waves in a very narrow beam she could lift heavy things with them, make sound emitters or leviators. That sounded too tempting to her. She almost wanted to rush to the lab and start working at ones. But first, she had to complete all the calculations she still had left. "Voila, this is your department." She said. "absolutely , ma'am. I wouldn't fail you." "Yeah."

Later Ray sat down on the dining table as Pepper came down greeting her. She nodded taking a sip of her fifth cup of coffee. "Where's Tony?" she asked.

"Still in his bed." Pepper replied in short making herself a coffee but a lighter one than Ray. Ray looked at the clock. It was around ten. Both Pepper and Tony did sleep longer than usual. "Ray, I'm worried. You sure Tony is fine?" she asked .

Ray looked at her for a moment. "Yeah." She said then. She really felt guilty not telling her the truth. "Why what happened?"

"He...he has those dreams. The scary ones. He hardly sleeps."

"Dreams?" it set Ray thinking too. There was no one on earth who can understand the feeling of having a nightmare. She herself was suffering from PTSD after her parents' accident. It had been severe and sometimes light, but never completely gone. She made a mental note to keep an eye on him.

"Hmm...I wonder if he is sick." Well technically he wasn't but sleeplessness isn't caused by his sickness. It's the knowledge of death, the fact of knowing that he could die the very next moment was making him miserable and it's natural for a human to react in that way. "I wish if I could help." She said.

"Sure!" said Ray. "But right now you have work and you need to go. I'll be here. Need to do some of my math. Don't worry so much!" she pushed her towards her room so that she could dress up for office and then sighed. Tony couldn't hide this from Pepper forever. He would have to open up someday or the other.

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Ray had checked over Tony and was right now sitting in the lab doing the rest of the calculations and making the designs. She had asked Voila to keep an eye on Tony. She really was worried.

At around 12:15 Voila called out. "Ma'am, I think Mr. Stark might be having some kind of panic attack." At this, she almost rushed to Tony's room to find him sitting on his bed clutching his arc reactor in one hand. "Tone?" she called. "You okay?"

"Yeah." He said between his short breath.

"You don't look like."

"I'm fine. Stop acting as if you are mom!" he said rather rudely. Ray knew he didn't mean it. So she just stared at him. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to-", he was about to say realising his fault when Ray cut off. "It's okay. I know." She said. This was when she noticed crack marks on her brother's neck. "What's this jig-saw puzzle?"She said reaching up to his neck. "Don't!" he said removing her hand as she noticed similar marks on his hand. "Tony, show me your arc." She said. "No!" he exclaimed but Ray was already pulling his shirt. "For God's sake, Tony stop arguing for ones!" she said as she pulled the shirt out only to receive a shocking sight. The skin near his arc was cracked and pale. She felt dumb at the sight in front of her. She quickly pulled out the blood tester from Tony's drawer "Enough Ray!" Tony protested but she wouldn't listen. She pressed the needle against Tony's figure. _'Blood toxicity- 70%'_ it read. Ray sighed loudly. She really had no idea what to say. "Does it hurt?" she said reaching out for his arc when "no don't!" Tony stopped her. "So it does hurt." She concluded as Tony rolled his eyes wearing his T-shirt again.

Ray knew Tony wasn't the one who would talk about it. So she just let go of the fact for time being. Instead she tried to change the topic. "So do you want breakfast or you'll directly have lunch?" she asked. "How about a pizza?" he asked walking up towards the washroom. "Hmm... Voila." She said. "On it ma'am!" said her obedient A.I.

My work on the emitters were almost done and the pizza had arrived so I sat with Tony in the living room eating the pizza. Loud music was playing so we chose to sit quiely and eat our pizza. We were almost have way through the pizza when Tony finally spoke up. "You look busy. What are you doing?"

"Trying to make flight stabelizers with ultrasonic sound."

"Flight stabelizers..." Tony trailed off thinking. "That's too science fiction!" he concluded.

"I am trying to concentrate sound waves in a narrow beam. The mechanical waves would help in lifting and throw stuff into heights."

"For that you will need sound of very high frequency. It's practically impossible. You can't do it!" he laughed accusingly.

"I already did!" Ray said with a wide smirk pasted on her face and in a tone of pride. Tony stared at her for sometime. "Really?" he said in awe. "Yeah!"

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Ray stood on the high platform of their neutral lab. She chose it considering it had higher ceilings. Even Tony did his iron man tests here. Tony stood near the virtual screen thoroughly reading Ray's designs. He was quite impressed that Ray had managed to use sound wave of such high frequency and concentrate it into such a fine beam. "You did a lot of home work." He commented.

"Hmm..." she replied absent-mindedly as she was setting her stuff for the flight.

"Ray!" Tony called breaking her concentration. "You know that..."

"I know." She cut him off his sentence. She had omitted atleast a ton of calculation and was working on an assumed value which was quite dangerous 'cause she herself was the stuff she was trying to lift.

"No Ray. That's very dangerous. You should work out the calculations first."

"Tony, how am I supposed to know the approximate value if I don't know the deviations?"she pointed out.

"But this is so not safe!" he replied.

"Ooh come on! How dangerous can it be? We are mad scientists remember?" she smirked.

Tony really wasn't liking this idea. But he couldn't deny Ray was right. It was useless to the calculations without knowing the deviations. "Just don't hurt yourself." He said as Ray smiled.

"Voila. Let's do it with 1% thrust capacity."

"Ready, ma'am?" asked Voila.

"I'm born ready!" She said as she was lifted in ait about a foot high.

"Wouldn't consider this good balance." Tony commented looking at the screen.

"Thrust capacity-5%" said Ray as she was lifted higher.

"Yes! Alright now 20!" She said

"Ma'am, this might be..."

"Voila, do the math. What are the chances that I'd listen to you?"

"0.001% ma'am."

"Ray no!" Tony instructed.

"Chill Tone, I'll be fine. " she said as she was sent igher almost crashing to the ceiling.

"Ooh fuck!" she exclaimed as she got disbalanced.

"Balance- Negetive." Said Voila

"Tell me something you don't know!" Ray exclaimed trying hard not to fall off. "Damn it! No! No! No!" she said as she flew over her computers. It was definitely not the place where she wanted to land!

"I'm awesome! I'm awesome! I'm awesome!" she mumbled as she gained a little balance.

"Ray, come down!" Tony said as she almost toppled off.

"I can't!"

"Why?"

"I am loosing balance!" suddenly she swirled and hit the ceiling before falling on the floor with a thud.

"Damn it!" said Tony approaching her and helping her sit up. "So you are born ready?" he joked. But Ray didn't reply. She rather sat there clutching her hand tightly. Tony realising that she was hurt came back to his protective older brother mode. "Jarvis?" Tony called as he lightly touched Ray's hand.

"It is broken sir."

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 **So here it is. The 29** **th** **chapter of I am iron man. Here is an important A/N. I am not going to write Tony's birthday party scene. Take it as if it has already happened and that Rhodey has already taken a suit. Tony knows about that video and Natasha but Ray still does not. I'll probably write a scene where she finds out about it And I'm not bringing back Whiplash. He is in jail and Killian did nothing. I need to carry on with the main part of the story instead writing the summary of the movie.**

 **Here's something I really wanted to say from a few days. Thank you so much to all those who are following me and my story. And double thanks to those who reviewed. It means a lot! Tell me, do you like Ray? If yes, read my other story too. Its called 'The Untold Story'. You'll find the link in my account. Tell me how you feel?**

 **You guys must be thinking if I saw Spiderman: Homecoming or not? Yes I did. And I really loved it. But they messed up the timeline a lot. But I'm not going to be bothered about that. I'll make my own timeline and maybe change the order of a few events according to my convenience.**

 **Bye till then!**

 **Love you all!**

 **ImaginationsUnleased**


	30. Chapter 30

**A/N: this chapter is going to be fast. I am going to write about the important incidents and then directly jump to 'Avengers'.**

 **Enjoy!**

 **Chapter 30**

FEW DAYS LATER

Ray was working in the lab. She had finally figured out the glitch in her machine and was currently making the flight stabelizers. Tony was sitting nearby working on his own virtual screen. He was drinking though Ray didn't mind till he was sober. "Ma'am, Mr. John is here and is asking for you." boomed Voila breaking the silence of the room. "Ask him to wait, I'll be there." She replied. Ever since Ray was made the acting head of the research wing of the Expo, she felt that she had been working too much. Tony who was the real head of the department refused to work saying that it was completely Ray's responsibility. Well, in reality Tony was still worried for Ray. He wanted to make sure Ray had made a place for herself in the Expo after he dies, so that no one can question her authority when she comes of age.

Ray sighed as she got up. As she was rubbing the grease from her hands, she noticed Tony staring at her, rather strangely. "What?" she asked.

"Is that your underwear?" Tony asked in a mocking tone gesturing to the dress she was wearing.

Ray kept staring not realising what Tony had meant. She was wearing black short shorts with a maroon baggy T-Shirt . she was all covered till her mid thigh (a little above that to be honest). There was no way it was an underwear! "Sorry?" she said in a confused tone.

"Wear something that covers!" Tony boomed in his authoritive voice.

"Yes Dad." she said rolling her eyes.

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Running the research wing though tiring was kind of exciting. Going to office, having employees who worked under her, attending and even at times presiding over meetings and making sure everything worked fluently. She felt as if she was born ready to do so, though at times she felt confused, Tony always had her back and gave her his suggestions.

One day Ray returned from the office after doing her choars. As she walked down to the garage looking for her brother, she found him sitting on a chair with a virtual projection of some element. After some time she realised that it wasn't any element that she knew of. "Tone what's that?" she asked.

Tony shocked with her sudden appearance turned towards her and then smiled gaily as she walked towards him. He shrunk the projection into a small ball. "What is that?" she asked again.

"See it for yourself!" he said handing her the virtual files, pecking her on her cheek and walking out.

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Ray walked out of the office one day only to be greeted by Natalie, Pepper's P.A. "Happy is busy. I'll drive you." she said. Ray jumped in without any hesitation but as the car pulled into a restaurant rather than the Stark mansion she felt confused. "What is happening?" she asked in a calm voice.

"Someone wants to meet you."

"Should have asked for an appointment." Natalie smiled. She knew well that arguing with the Stark siblings was useless. She rather opened the door for her so that she could step out of the car. "I hate it when people waste my time." She said in a threatening tone as she got out adjusting her hair with her left hand.

As she walked in she saw a dark, bald man wearing all black with an eyepatch. It took her no time to recognise him as Nick Fury, the director of S.H.I.E.L.D. "Ms. Stark, nice to meet you again." he said offering his hand for her to shake in a formal way. She nodded and took her seat instead of showing her curtsy. She wasn't happy by the way they had brought her there. Nick, on the other hand had already met the older Stark, so he hadn't expected anything from the billionaire teenager. Nick at first wasn't sure how to talk to a teenager but when he looked at her sitting opposite to him with her arms crossed and a bag full of attitude, he knew he was going to talk to her like any other person he had talked to.

"I am sitting idle. Can we hurry? What do you want?" she said impatiently.

"Some time, I guess?" said Natalie.

"I knew there was something fishy about you. Who speaks Latin anyways?! Who are you?" she said

"Natasha Romanoff. I work for him."

"Ms. Stark, it is important." Nick interrupted.

"You have exactly minutes." She said.

"S.H.I.E.L.D is a highly sophisticated agency."

"It's like a high tech police force we have in science fiction movies." She commented.

"It is more than that. We are liable to the peace and security even in the universal schale." Ray raised her eyebrow. She did knew it. She had heard Jane say about S.H.I.E.L.D interfering with her work when Thor was around.

"Hmm..."

"Your father, Howard Stark..."

"Can we please fast forward this? You already have talked for 3 minutes."

"Why do you and our brother get so pissed off when we mention Howard?"

"So my brother has gone through this too?"

"I am just trying to tell you..."

"I don't wanna know about him."

"He cared about you." Nick said. He felt angry for how both the siblings reacted when their father was mentioned.

"Yeah, he didn't even want to see me!"

"He was a busy man."

"He sent me to a boarding school when I was only 5!"

"He cared about you, both of you!"

"Well, you don't have enough evidence to make me believe in your theory."

Nick sighed and rolled his eyes. "Well, coming back to my point. I am here to talk you about the Avengers Initiative."

"What's that?"

"We have a plan, a plan of bringing a group of considerable men who can work together and help bringing universal peace. Your brother has already signed." He said. Ray flinched. _Why me?_ Sh\e mentally thought but didn't ask.

"Why would I sign it?"

"'Cause your father believed in this dream."

"Damn, why do you always come back to my father?" she said rather angrily.

"Because, it is true!"

"Well, you know what I really am not interested in knowing what he wanted, 'cause he never gave me what I wanted!"

"He was one of the founding members of S.H.I.E.L.D. He was a man with a lot of responsibility. You must understand that."

"He never wished me good morning!"

"He died trying to save your life!"

"What?" Ray said shocked.

"I have to go now. Please read the files that Ms. Romanoff will give you."

"What did you mean my father died saving me?"

"Your fifteen minutes are over Ms Stark. I shouldn't waste your time."

"Hey! Wait!" she said as he started walking.

"It was nice to talk to you." he said walking out.

"Fuck!" she said as she saw him walk out.

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 **So there's chapter 30. I know, you guys must be hating the regular updates. I'll see what O can do about that and try to update soon. Anyways, please do review and tell me how it is. I'm sorry if you think I rushed it a bit. But I think its getting boring if I don't proceed.**

 **Bye till then**

 **ImaginationsUnleashed.**


	31. Chapter 31

**Hey guys! I am back with chapter 31 of my fic, I am IRON MAN. So yeah, I was trying to shorten up the parts from where I had initially written this story and now I have messed up. So the best thing I can do right now is skip the unnecessary parts and jump directly to the Avengers part. So here comes the story.**

 **Chapter 31**

Ray sat down in her lab proud of herself. She had finally completed the suit she was trying to make. It was fun, the fact that she had made a suit that could literally compete with her brother's Iron Man. But she didn't want to become an avenger or something. She didn't even sign the Avenger's Initiative but she did agree to help in any emergency situation. Natasha was convinced that they would need her brains in near future.

FLASHBACK

Ray had been working continuously for three days. Finally she had the fruit. The suit powered by ultrasonic sound energy and its derivatives. "What should I name you?" she questioned herself. "Got any ideas, Voila?"

"Part II as we call her." Replied Voila flatly.

"Nah, those are the versions. I want something catchy!"

"Why do you want it? Do you want the public to know that even you have designed a super suit?"

"Nah, probably not! Not yet." She replied. "But I really don't want her to be nameless."

"How would you want to name her, ma'am?"

"Perhaps, like a worrier or something."

"Something like optimus prime?"

"No!" she retorted as she laughed at the suggestion.

"I...I can't find any other suggestion in the internet that you may like."

"What about Valkyre?" she mumbled.

"That sounds nice and catchy as you wanted it."

"Yeah."

"Should I name the file VALKYRE-II?"

"Sure, do it!"

END OF FLASHBACK

 _I am sure S.H.I.E.L.D. doesn't know about my suit._ Ray thought as she was setting her suit in place and she walked up to the kitchen to grab a cup of coffee. AS she did so, she looked at the clock. _2:30._ it read. She had told Tony that shewould go to sleep early this night but since he was out that promise was left uncared about.

"May I remind you ma'am, Mr Stark asked you to go to sleep by 11 today." Boomed Jarvis.

"Thank you J, but it is something don't need to e reminded about. I'll sleep when I want to." She said taking a sip and seating herself on the crouch.

At first, Tony wasn't happy with the idea of Ray owing a suit. Perhaps he knew that if there was an emergency, his sister wouldn't back off to help. He didn't want her to get into the same mess.

FLASHBACK

"Holy shit!" exclaimed Tony as he stared wide eyed at his sister's creation. "Don't tell me it's all powered by sound energy."

"Most of it." She replied.

"Its...its really impressive Ray." he said as he inspected its design. He did notice and acknowledge the fact that the suit was actually better than his in a few aspects. He liked the idea of installing a music system in the suit. But then the realisation struck him. He couldn't possibly let his sister get into this mess. _No, she isn't ready for all this! She doesn't need to be in this!_ He mentally said.

"So what do you think?" asked Ray noticing that his brother wasn't commenting anything.

"Ray, it's good. It's awesome. But..."

"But what?"

"You can't wear this. Please no!" he said.

"Why can't I?" she asked.

"Cause it s dangerous. You don't need to do what I am doing."

"Ooh, that? Don't worry. I really don't have any intention of being a super hero or something. I'm not doing that." She replied. Tony drew a breath of relief. _Let us just hope nothing compels her to wear that suit._ He mentally said.

END OF FLASHBACK

Ray felt her phone ringing. She picked it up to realises it was her beloved brother. "Someone need to learn to keep her promises." He said.

"Hey, hey I tried. But I really can't sleep!" she defended herself.

"What? You had been up for 38 hours now!"

"Perhaps a few more." She replied making Tony roll his eyes. What Ray wasn't telling Tony was that her PTSD was back, fierce as ever. She couldn't sleep, especially when there was no one in the house to accompany her other than the two . It was easy to be sister of Tony Stark, the owner of Stark Industries, America's best weapons manufacturing unit, but to be Iron Man's sister was tough, especially when she was defenceless and knowing that if anything ever went wrong, all she can do is watch things helplessly. Maybe she had made the suit out of reflex of this fear.

"Ray, please don't fall sick." Said Tony breaking her out of her trance.

"Don't worry. I wouldn't. I promise!"

"You better keep this one." He said

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 **Yay! I finished this chapter. Wondering it was too short? Yes, I know that. But I really don't want it to become boring. The next chapters will have scenes from Avengers and the rest of the avengers. So stick with me!**

 **Bye till then!**

 **ImaginationsUnleashed**


	32. Chapter 32

**Hey guys! Yes it's me back. I had been busy. The only reason I could sit to write today is that the people are playing songs in my locality quite loudly and there is no way I can concentrate in my studies. So here is chappie 32.**

 **Chapter 32**

At the Stark Tower

Ray's Room

Ray sat in her room fidgeting with her laptop playing with the software she had made when she was around 11. It could read any unnatural energy signatures, magnetic fields from all over the earth with the help of the Stark satellite. Not only could it be used by geo-scientists but sophisticated agencies like the CIA, FBI and even SHIELD could use it to detect unnatural events that could make their work easier, only if Ray shares it! She rather prefers playing with it when it detects any event. Right now she was detecting a high gamma radiation blast from NASA. The last time she detected such a huge blast was Bruce Banner's accident. Ever since she had read a lot of reports on the scientists and become a fan of his research. She only wished if she could meet him! _What the fuck is this?_ She wondered as she read the readings.

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"Stark Towers is about to become a beacon of self sustaining clean energy." Said Tony as he flew into the remodelled Stark Tower.

"Wow, so maybe our reactor takes over and it actually works?" asked Pepper.

"I assume. Light her up." Said Tony as the Tower lights up with the huge name Stark on it.

"How does it look?"

"Like Christmas, but with more...me." Tony replied with a smile on his face.

"Ray look at this." He said through his intercom as the live image of Stark Tower popped on her virtual screen.

"It's awesome!" he heard her say in an excited tone.

"Gotta go wider on the public awareness campaign. You need to do some press. I can do some more tomorrow; I'm working on the zoning for the next billboards." Pepper informed.

"Pepper, you're killing me. Remember? Enjoy the moment." He said as he arrived at his skyscraper penthouse and is in the process the machines installed help him in taking off his Iron Man suit.

" Sir, Agent Coulson of SHIELD is on the line." Informed Jarvis as Tony flinched.

" I'm not in. I'm actually out!" he exclaimed.

" Sir, I'm afraid he's insisting."

"Close the line Jarvis. I got a date."

[inside]

"Levels are holding steady...I think." Pepper said.

"Of course they are, I was directly involved. Which brings me to my next question. How does it feel to be a genius?" he smirked.

"Well, ha, I really wouldn't know now, would I?"

"What do you mean? All this, came from you."

"No. All this, came from that." she points to the arc reactor on his chest.

"Give yourself some credit, please. Stark Tower is your baby. Give yourself... twelve percent of the credit."

"Twelve percent?"

"An argument can be made for fifteen."

"Twelve percent for my baby?"

"Well, I did do all the heavy lifting. Literally, I lifted the heavy things. And sorry, but the security snafu? That was on you."

"Oooooh!"

"My private elevator."

"You mean our elevator?"

"It was teeming with sweaty workmen. I'm going to pay for that comment about percentages in some subtle way later on, aren't I?"

"Not gonna be that subtle."

"I'll tell you what. Next building is gonna say 'Potts' on the tower."

"On the lease."

"Call your mom, can you bunk over?"

Ray's room

"Ms. Stark, Agent Coulson is trying to overwrite our security system." Boombed Voila as she was still digging her face in her laptop from past two hours.

"Does Tony know?" she asked.

"Yes ma'am." She replied. "He is now talking with ." she added.

"Stark, we need to talk." said Coulson as he walkes into the living room from the elevator.

"You have reached the life model decoy of Tony Stark, please leave a message." Tony says ignoring Coulson.

"This is urgent." He insisted.

"Then leave it urgently." at that moment Ray emerges from her room. "Hey guys!" she greeted.

"Hello Ms. Stark." Greeted Phil.

"Hi Phil." Greetaed back Ray.

"Phil?" asked Tony. "Uh...his first name is Agent." He asked turning towards Ray.

"Come on in, we're celebrating." Said Pepper to Coulson.

"Which is why he can't stay." Tony arrogantly pointed out.

"We need you to look this over." he holds out a file towards Stark, "Soon as possible."

"I don't like being handed things." Replied Tony.

"That's alright, cause I love to be handed things. So, let's trade." Says Pepper as she passes her glass of champagne to Coulson and takes the file from him, then takes the champagne glass from Tony and passes the file over to him as Ray sits down on the sofa nearby.

"Official consulting hours are between eight and five every other Thursday."

"This isn't a consultation."

"Is this about The Avengers?" asked Pepper and then realising that she must not have said that says "Which I...I know nothing about."

"The Avengers Initiative was scrapped, I thought. And I didn't even qualify."

"I didn't know that either." Pepper popped.

"Yeah, apparently I'm volatile, self obsessed, don't play well with others."

"That I did know."

"This isn't about personality profiles anymore."

"Whatever. Miss Potts, got a minute?" he said turning towards Pepper and speaking to her in private. "You know, I thought we were having a moment!"

"I was having twelve percent of a moment. This seems serious, Phil's pretty shaken."

"Ms. Stark, I had been asked to bring you too?"

Ray who had been sitting with her legs on the coffee table and listening spoke for the first time. "Me?"

"Yes, you signed to help us in research grounds of an emergency situation."

"Wait, you signed?" Tony exclaimed.

"What kind of emergency is this?" asked Ray.

"It's there in the file."

Ray goes up o Tony to look up at the file and with a flick of his hand Tony spreads all the profiles of the other Avengers on to the different computer screens. Pepper looks at all their profiles in awe. "I'm going to take the jet to D.C. tonight." She said then.

"Tomorrow." Tony said.

"You have homework. You have a lot of homework."

"Well, what if I didn't?"

"If you didn't?"

"Yeah."

"You mean if you finished?" Pepper asked as Tony nods his head. "Well, um...then..." she whispers something in his ear and Coulson looks away in embarrassment while Ray ignores as if it was something that happened rather often.

"Square deal! It's the last date." Tony says as Pepper kisses him. "Work hard." She said before walking away. As both Ray and Tony looked at the virtual screen, "You are not coming." Tony says.

"That does not depend on you." Ray replied arrogantly.

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Tony had gone on the night quest to catch the Loki, the one who was terrorising the city and had somehow managed to get a few agents of SHIED under his control. While Ray stayed at home reading all the data that she had received from NASA and the ones Coulson gave her. 'So much energy! How is that even possible?' she wondered. The files on teserract were extraordinary. She hadn't read anything like that before not even in Science fictions.

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It was next morning when Ray and Tony made their made their way to SHIELD base. The Stark jet landed on the platform on the middle of the ocean as Tony came down of it closely followed by Ray. Their entry as was dramatic and stylish as always. People around them often felt a virtual music playing. Almost everyone stopped to look at the billionaire siblings who had the credit of most of their tech.

They looked at the glass cell where Loki, the cause of all the chaos was kept as they walked on. As they did Ray couldn't help but feel the awkward stare on her. But she shrugged off the feeling and made her way into the main control centre of the heli-carrier. She was excited. She was going to see Steve. She wondered how he would react when he would come to know about her real identity.

As they walked in they saw all the so called Avengers standing in the hall starting from Steve Rodgers aka Captain America, Pepper's disguised P.A. Natasha Romanoff also called Black Widow, Thor, Jane's boyfriend and the Hulk, Bruce Banner. "I wanna know why Loki let us take him. He's not leading any army from her." They heard Steve said.

"I don't think we should be focusing on Loki. That guy's brain is a bag full of cats. You can smell crazy on him." Said Natasha.

"Have you care to speak. Loki maybe beyond reason, but he is of Asguard and he is my brother."

"He killed 80 people in two days!"

"He's adopted."

"I think it's about. Iridium, what would they need Iridium for?" questioned Bruce.

"It's a stabelizing agent." Said Tony gaining everyone's attention. "It means it won't collapse on itself like it did at SHIELD while working with the tessaract." Added Ray.

"No hard feelings point-break, you've got a good swing." Said Tony as he patted Thor's arm.

"Then he can open the portral as big as he wants and leave it there" Ray said looking at a random monitor. Tony walked up to the main set of computers where Fury controls the heli-carrier. "That man is playing Galliga, thought we wouldn't notice...but we did." He said pointing to a guy sitting on one of the computers. Then he went on to see the computers, covered ne eye with his palm before turning to Agent Hill, "How does Fury even see these?" he said making Ray smirk. "He turns." Replied Maria with a cold air.

"That's exhausting!" he said.

"The rest of the raw materials Agent Barton can get his hands on pretty easily." Pointed out Natasha.

"So the main ingredient he really needs is a power source of high energy density. The question is where would he get that." Said Ray.

"Hmm", Tony replied.

"When did you become an expert in thermonuclear astrophysics?" mocked Hill.

"Last night." Stated the siblings in unison.

"Does Loki need a particular kind of power?"

"Its going to be really hot. He'd have to heat the cube to 120 million Kelvin just to break through the Coulumb barrier." Said Ray as Tony gave him a questioning look, "unless he has figured out how to stabilize the Quantum Turning Effect." She added.

"Well, if could do that, he could achieve heavy ion fusion at any reactor on the planet." Bruce said.

"Finally, somebody who speaks English!" Tony reached out to him shaking his hand.

"Is that what just happened?" said Natasha.

"It's good to officially meet you, Doctor Banner. Your work on anti-electronic collisions is unparalleled and I'm huge fan of the way you lose control and turn yourself into an enormous green rage monster." He said in an excited tone.

"He's not joking." Ray said with a grin pasted on her face.

"Thank you?" said Banner in a half questioning, half answering tone.

"Doctor Banner is here to trace the cube. We were hoping if you join him." Fury said.

"Yes, sure, you stay only in the lab." He said turning to Ray.

"You are saying this to me for about the 112th time!" she said with an irritated look on her face.

"Start with the stick of his. It may be magical but it works an awful lot like a hydra weapon." Steve pointed out.

"I don't know about that but it is powered by the cube. And I'd like to know how Loki used it to turn two of the sharpest men I know into his personal monkeys."

"Monkeys?" asked Thor in confusion.

"I understood that reference!" exclaimed Steve bringing all the attention towards him as Tony makes the most disgusting look ever, rolling his eyes.

"Shall we play?" Tony said looking between Ray and Bruce.

"This way." Bruce said showing the way to the lab as ray and Tony followed him.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

 **So that's it for today. I really don't know when I'm going to update next but I'll try my best to not make you guys wait for long.**

 **Bye till then!**

 **ImaginatioinsUnleashed**


	33. Chapter 33

**Surprise! Look who's back! It's me, ImaginationsUnleashed. Have I not been frequent in the past few days? I have started writing a new story named 'Past Present and Future'. It's an Iron Man and Thor crossover. I'd say if you are a Loki and Tony lover you should try it out. The link is in my account. Don't worry, I am not going to take too long here cause even I hate reading long Author's Note but don't jump smaller one.**

 **Chapter 33**

"Wow! Your programme is amazing!" Banner commented as he was helping Ray in detecting the tesseract. "How has SHIELD not hacked into your satellite feeds?" he asked confused how ray was able to detect so many radiation signals without even SHIELD noticing.

"'Cause we use Veronica for our satellite feeds."

"Veronica?"

"She's our satellite. She is highly secured and by the time SHIELD breaks through its data schematic it's going to be decades!" Ray said not looking up from the screen.

Tony looks at his monitors, shifting and solving as many algorithms and equations.

"The gamma readings are definitely consistent with Selvig's reports on the Tesseract. But it's gonna take weeks to process."Bruce said.

"If we bypass their mainframe and direct a reroute to the Homer cluster, we can clock this around six hundred teraflops." Tony spoke up for the first time.

"All I packed was a tooth brush." Bruce said with a small laugh.

" You know, you should come by Stark Tower sometime. Top ten floors, all R&D. You'd love it, it's candy land." Tony smiled.

" Thanks, but the last time I was in New York I kind of broke...Harlem."

"Well, I promise a stress free environment. No tension. No surprises." Tony said as he suddenly pokes Banner with a miniature electic prod. "Ow!" exclaimed Banner. Just then Steve walks in on them pissed at the Straks, well more precisely on Ray. "Hey! Are you nuts?" he says angrily.

"You really have got a lid on it, haven't you? What's your secret? Mellow jazz? Bongo drums? Huge bag of weed?" Tony said spankily.

" Is everything a joke to you?"

"Funny things are." Said Ray defending her brother.

"Threatening the safety of everyone on this ship isn't funny." He said and then turned to Banner, "No offense, doctor." He said.

"No, it's alright. I wouldn't have come aboard if I couldn't handle pointy things." Banner said.

" You're tiptoeing, big man. You need to strut." Tony said.

"And you need to focus on the problem, Mr. Stark." Steve said as if he was talking to Howard instead of Tony. Ray rolled her eyes. She knew she hadn't told Steve about her real identity but she didn't realise he would react like that!

" You think I'm not? Why did Fury call us and why now? Why not before? What isn't he telling us? I can't do the equation unless I have all the variables." Tony said with a little bit seriousness.

"You think Fury's hiding something?"

"He's a spy. Captain, he's the spy. His secrets have secrets." Ray said in an obvious tone and points to Banner. "It's bugging him too, isn't it?" she added.

Bobbling the words Banner replies, "Uh...I just wanna finish my work here and..."

"Doctor?" Steve cuts him short.

"A warm light for all mankind, Loki's jab at Fury about the cube." He says.

"I heard it."

"Well, I think that was meant for you. Even if Barton didn't post that all over the news." Bruce said pointing at Ray and Tony.

"The Stark Tower? That big ugly..." Steve was about to say but was cut short by both Ray and Tony glaring at him. "...building in New York?" he completes gulping.

" It's powered by Stark Reactors, self-sustaining energy source. That building will run itself for what, a year?" Bruce asked.

"That's just the prototype. We're kind of the only name in clean energy right now." Tony says.

"So, why didn't SHIELD bring you in on the Tesseract project? I mean, what are they doing in the energy business in the first place?" Bruce asked referring to Ray and Tony.

"We should probably look into that once my decryption programmer finishes breaking into all of SHIELD's secure files." Ray said.

"I'm sorry, did you say...?"

"Jarvis and Voila has been running it since I hit the bridge. In a few hours we'll know every dirty secret SHIELD has ever tried to hide." Tony said holding out a bag of blueberries. "Blueberry?" he asks but Steve ignores that and keeps on speaking, "Yet you're confused about why they didn't want you both around?"

"An intelligence organization that fears intelligence? Historically, not awesome!" Ray said with a smirk as Tony offers her a few blueberries. She takes a hand full of them and gives him a 'Thank you' nod.

"I think Loki's trying to wind us up. This is a man who means to start a war, and if don't stay focused, he'll succeed. We have orders, we should follow them." Steve said in a serious tone.

"Following is not really our style."

"And you're all about style, aren't you?" Steve gives him a cynical smile.

Tony obviously hit on a nerve rolls his eyes, "Of the people in this room, which one is; A. wearing a spangly outfit, and of use?"

"Steve, tell me none of this smells a little funky to you?" Bruce asks with a grin on his face. Steve though takes in the possibility, but as an obedient soldier, shakes it off. "Just find the cube." He replies straight walking out of the lab. Still torn apart by the possibility, he walks away, towards the HULL of the ship.

"That's the guy my dad never shut up about? Wondering if they shouldn't have kept him on ice!" Tony says turning to Ray angrily.

"Just let it go, Tony. He's just too out of time. He needs time to fit in." Ray said acting more mature than her older sibling.

"Yeah..." Tony gave a mean look to his sister, " _And you need to focus on the problem!_ " he mocked.

"Tone...!" Ray said asking him to calm down.

"Ray...!" he mocked her childishly.

"Bruce!" said Banned piping in making Ray smile at him while Tony passed him a friendly glare.

"The guy's not wrong about Loki. He does have the jump on us." Bruce said.

"What he's got is an Acme dynamite. It's gonna blow up blow up on his face and I'm going to blow up on his face." Tony said, still angry.

"Yeah, and I'll be there with you to watch that scene!" Ray said giggling.

"And I'll read about all that." Bruce said giving an unsure smile.

"Uh-huh. Or you'll be suiting up like the rest of us."

"Ah, see. I don't get a suit of armor. I'm exposed, like a nerve. It's a nightmare."

"You know, I've got a cluster of shrapnel, trying every second to crawl its way into my heart." Tony says as he points at his mini arc-reactor in his chest. "This stops it. This little circle of light. It's part of me now, not just armour. It's a... terrible privilege." He added as Ray smiled at him before going back to her screen.

"But you can control it." Bruce continues the discussion.

"Because I learned how." Tony insisted.

"It's different." Banner turns and tries to read the computer screen, but Tony slides the data aside with his finger so the two can see face-to-face. "Hey, I've read all about your accident. That much gamma exposure should have killed you."

"So you're saying that the Hulk... the other guy... saved my life said Bruce smiling to himself before he continues, "That's nice. It's a nice sentiment. Saved it for what?"

"I guess we'll find out." Tony says as both of them get back to work at their respective computers.

"You might not like that." Bruce said.

"You just might."

TIME JUMP

After a while of silence Tony started small talks with Ray about her programme. It was the first time Tony was seeing it work 'cause before this Ray used it to only play around and pass her time. That's when Fury came walking in looking surprised as Tony, Banner and Ray stop working on the sceptre. "What are you doing, Mr. Stark?" he said angrily.

"Uh...kind of been wondering the same thing about you." Tony spat.

"You're supposed to be locating the Tesseract."

"We are. The models locked and we're sweeping for the signature now. When we get a hit, we'll have the location within half a mile." Bruce said.

"And you'll get your cube back, no muss, and no fuss." Ray said as suddenly her monitor show a collection of SECRET FILES. "What is PHASE 2?" she asked looking at him. Suddenly, Steve drops a hydra assault rifle on the table causing all of them to turn around. "PHASE 2 is SHIELD uses the cube to make weapons." He said looking pissed. "Sorry, the computer was moving a little slow." He said turning to Tony and Ray.

Nick trying to explain speaks up, "Rogers, we gathered everything related to the Tesseract. This does not mean that we're..." but Tony cuts him short. "I'm sorry, Nick." Tony moves the computer screen towards Fury which shows plans of weapons. "What were you lying?" he says with a mocking look on his face.

"I was wrong, director. The world hasn't changed a bit." Steve says and at that moment, Thor and Natasha walk into the lab. Natasha keeps her eyes right on Banner. Banner looks at her, pissed. "Did you know about this?" he asked.

"You wanna think about removing yourself from this environment, doctor?" Natasha asked.

"I was in Calcutta, I was pretty well removed."

"Loki's manipulating you."

"And you've been doing what exactly?" he says angrily.

"You didn't come here because I bat my eyelashes at you."

"Yes, and I'm not leaving because suddenly you get a little twitchy. I'd like to know why SHIELD is using the Tesseract to build weapons of mass destruction."

"Because of him." Nick says pointing at Thor.

"Me?" Thor says stunned. He really didn't expect that he would be a part of this discussion.

"Last year earth had a visitor from another planet who had a grudge match that leveled a small town. We learned that not only are we not alone, but we are hopelessly, hilariously, outgunned."

"My people want nothing but peace with your planet." Thor defended.

"But you're not the only people out there, are you? And, you're not the only threat. The world's filling up with people who can't be matched, they can't be controlled." He said looking from Ray to Tony.

"Like you controlled the cube?" Steve said.

"You're work with the Tesseract is what drew Loki to it, and his allies. It is the signal to all the realms that the earth is ready for a higher form of war."

"A higher form?"

"You forced our hand. We had to come up with something."

"Nuclear deterrent. `Cause that always calms everything right down." Tony said in an obvious tone.

"Remind me again how did the Starks make their fortune?" Nick spat.

"Hey! We're past that!" Ray defended.

" I'm sure if he still made weapons, Stark would be neck deep." Said Steve accusingly looking at Tony.

"Wait! Wait! Hold on! How is this now about me?" Tony defended himself.

"I thought humans were more evolved than this." Spat Thor.

"Excuse me, did we come to your planet and blow stuff up?" Nick boomed angrily at Thor.

"Did you always give your champions such mistrust?"

"Captian America is under threat watch?" asked Bruce quite shocked.

"We all are." Natasha said. Suddenly Ray heard a high pitched sound that almost piercing her ears. She instinctively clutched them and looked around only to realise only she was hearing the sound.

"Wait a sec, you're on that list? Are you above or below angry bees?" Tony spat at Steve. Ray held Tony's hand to gain his attention but he was so angry that he ignored her.

"Tony..." she weakly called but was left unheard in the commotion. She walked back between Bruce and Natasha.

"I swear to God, Stark, if you crack one more wise..." Nick said.

"Threatening! I feel threatened!" tony said dramatically as Ray felt the sound getting louder.

"Guys, stop!" she said but no one listened. As the team argues, they don't realize the blue gem on Loki's sceptre is glowing brightly. The egos of these people keeping rubbing off each other as Ray felt the sound getting louder and louder.

" You speak of control, yet you court chaos." Thor boomed acting like a god from those mythological books.

"It's his M.O., isn't it" Bruce says gaining everyone's attention, "I mean, what are we, a team? No, no, no. We're a chemical mixture that makes chaos. We're... we're a time-bomb."

"You need to step away." Fury says now cautious of the situation."

"Why shouldn't the guy let off a little steam?" Tony says putting his hand on Steve's shoulder.

"You know damn well why! Back off!" Steve said pushing him off.

"Oh, I'm starting to want you to make me." Tony faces Steve.

"Big man in a suit of armour. Take that off, what are you?" Steve spats.

"Genius, billionaire, playboy, philanthropist." Tony said with his attitude at its peak. Ray would have commented something but she was too busy trying to figure out where the sound was coming from.

"I know guys with none of that worth ten of you. Yeah, I've seen the footage. The only thing you really fight for is yourself." Steve says getting on Tony's nerves, "You're not the guy to make the sacrifice play," he continued, "to lay down on a wire and let the other guy crawl over you."

"I think I would just cut the wire."

"Always a way out... You know, you may not be a threat, but you better stoppretending to be a hero." Steve said breaking Tony's last barrier of patience.

"A hero? Like you? You're a lab rat, Rogers. Everything special about you came out of a bottle!" Tony snapped. Steve puffs up his chest at Tony, who just stands there, unmoving. "Put on the suit, let's go a few rounds." Steve said as Thor laughs at them. "You people are so petty... and tiny."

"Preach it Thor!" snapped Ray. She was starting to get a head ache because of the noise. _What could it be?_ She wondered not clutching her head out of pain.

Tony rubs his head. Moves away from Cap. "Yeah, this is a tea..." Banner mockingly laughs and was about to say but was cut short by Fury.

"Agent Romanoff, would you escort back to his..."

"Where? You rented my room?" he said angrily.

"The cell was just in case..."

"In case you needed to kill me, but you can't! I know! I tried!" he pauses for a moment and then continues,I got low. I didn't see an end, so I put a bullet in my mouth and the other guy spit it out! So I moved on. I focused on helping other people. I was good, until you dragged me back into this freak show and put everyone here at risk!" he slowly gets upset as he looks at Romanoff, who gets unnerved. **"** You wanna know my secret, Agent Romanoff?" he said, " You wanna know how I stay calm?" at this both Natasha and Fury have their hands down to grab their guns.

"Doctor Banner... put down the sceptre." Steve said making banner look down and he himself is shocked to see that he was holding the sceptre.The computer beeps and all except Ray turn to it.

"Got it." Said Tony as Banner puts down the sceptre and walks over to the computer. **"** Sorry, kids. You don't get to see my little party trick after all." He said.

You located the Tesseract?" Thor asked.

"I can get there faster." Tony said.

Steve not satisfied with his idea says, "Look, all of us..." but is again cut short by Thor. "The Tesseract belongs on Asgard, no human is a match for it." Tony turns to leave, but Steve stops him. **"** You're not going alone!"

"You gonna stop me?"

"Put on the suit, let's find out."

"I'm not afraid to hit an old man."

"Put on the suit."

Ray greatly pissed at the team was getting more and more irritated as the sound became now unbearable. "Will you guys shut up or I'll fucking make you close your beaks forever!" she yelled gaining everyone's attention. She clutched her ears tight.

"Ray? What's it?" Tony asked turning towards her when she finally realised what the sound was.

"It's a jet!" she said as suddenly there was a blast and everyone is thrown in every direction. Steve, Fury, Thor, Natasha and Tony are thrown across while Ray and Banner is down in the lower equipment room as the floor below them collapsed. Steve looks up at Tony. **"** Put on the suit!"

"Yep!" Tony said as he adjusts his earpiece. "Ray?" then he speaks through it.

"We're fine." She says trying to get out of the rubble piece she got stuck under, her left leg hurting. Then she looks at Bruce who had fallen only a little distance from her and realise he was turning sick green. "Are we?" she says nervously calling for her suit.

The pandemonium had erupted and the emergency alarms were set off, fire extinguishers activate near surrounding fires and every agent is in a spinning scramble for their positions and armaments. Number 3 engine was down. Its turbine was loose. Mostly intact, but it was impossible for a normal to get out there and make repairs while they were in the air. Tony was up for the repair with Steve for his help.

Ray looks over to Banner, who is breathing heavy, having landed hard. He was gripping the grated floor to maintain control, but his eyes were green, his face intense.

Tony and Cap run through a dim, debris filled hall. "Find engine three. I'll meet you there." Tony said as Tony approaches his suit.

On the other hand, Banner struggles to suppress the rage, but his face is growing, changing slowly. Ray's Valkyre suit arrives controlled by Voila and picks up the debris off her as she painfully pull s herself free but was still on the floor. "Bruce, you gotta fight is just what Loki wants. We're gonna be okay. Listen to me." She says trying to calm him "We're gonna be okay. Right? I swear on my life I will get you out of this, you will walk away, and never..."

" Your life?" Banner says. His voice has the changed as it sent chills down her spine. Another explosion rocks the carrier and he turns to look at her, transforming just as the lights go out. "Please!" she pleaded this time but Banner starts transforming into the Hulk. Ray jumps into the suit ignoring the pain in her leg but the hulk grabs half of it and crumbles it. "Fuck!" she exclaims as she runs only in her chest plate and one leg and hand flight stabilizer. She stops. The hulk, sensing her, turns his head and puts on a face of a disturb monster. She flies up misbalanced as most of her suit was destroyed and lands on a higher platform with the hulk chasing after her. Finding her suit useless, she rolls under a turbine, starts to crawl within the maze of pipes but hulk pulls them out from above the catwalk. She falls through under the catwalks and quickly and stealthily escapes blasting a pure beam of energy on the hulk's face as to growls monstrously.

Steve on the other hand pushes with all his strength the door to portside, sees SHIELD tech in full oxygen masks shoot fire extinguishers and cover from sparks - largely unable to do anything. Engine 3 is totally dead. A large chunk of the port side in torn off. "Stark, I'm here!" he calls.

"Good. See what we got." Tony flies in his iron man suit and gets close to the damaged engines he observes within his view screen at the damaged engine and its layouts. "I gotta get this super conducting cooling system back online before I can access the rotors and work on dislodging the debris." He said. Then he begins pulling on the stuck rotors and looks over at Steve. "I need you to get to that engine control panel and tell me which relays are in overload position." He says as he flies into giant cooling conductors. Steve jumps over to the other side of the broken railing. He gets himself to the control panel and opens it up. "What's it look like in there?" Tony asked.

" It seems to run on some form of electricity." He replies and Tony could help but roll his eyes, irritated. "Well, you're not wrong." _Wish I had Ray here._ He mentally spoke before he realise he really didn't knew where she was. "Ray, are you okay?" he asked through the intercom. "No!" came a reply in whisper. Ray was hiding behind a pillar trying to get rid of the hulk. "What happened?" he asked as JARVIS analysed the engine for him. "Hulk, its after me. I don't know how long I can do this. My suit is half gone." She said in a very nervous voice.

"Hey! Hey! Just hang on okay? How much time can you buy me?" Tony asked.

"I said I don't know!" she snapped gaining the hulks attention. "Shit!" she said as the hulk growled and she started running.

"Rodgers we gotta hurry!" Tony said while cursing himself. How could he leave his little sister alone to fight the Hulk!

Ray could hardly fly. She would only end up hurting herself is she tried to fly. She tried to cross the generator in front of her but to her terror, the hulk ripped it apart and she stood face to face with the enormous monster. All she could do was to jump off the railing and pray to land on the bridge below which she did but painfully. The hulk charged towards her. _Come on, Ray. You gotta do something!_ She mentally spoke and looked around her. Suddenly she came up with an idea. She rushed towards the wall of the carrier. _Fuck! I don't know how this is going to end!_ She said. "Alright you beast, come get me!" she yelled as she stood right before the wall. "ANIMAL!" she screamed trying to get it mad. It charged towards her and just as it was about to hit her she jumped off and hung herself with the pipe towards the 200000 ft drop. It wasn't a good grip. "Tony...?" she called.

Tony as getting the engine started when he heard his sister call, "Tony...? I can't buy you anymore time!" she said as she started slipping. "What's wrong?" Tony said.

"Umm... Not a fan of heigts!" she screamed. Her hands which was already hurt from falling were aching.

"What? Where are you?"

"Deck B. Outside deck B."

"Where's hulk?"

"I threw him down. Can you hurry? I'm can't hold any longer!"

"Two minutes Ray, please!" he said in a panicking voice. He blasts the broken debris off the turbine engine. "The relays are intact. What's our next move?" Steve asked.

"Even if I clear the rotors, this thing won't re-engage without a jump. I'm gonna have to get in there and push."

"Well if that thing gets up to speed, you'll get shredded!"

"Then stay in the control unit and reverse polarity long enough to disengage mag..." he was cut short by Steve, **"** Speak English!"

Tony sighed, "See that red lever? It'll slow the rotors down long enough for me to get out. Stand by it, wait for my word."

Tony begins to push the rotor using boosters from his boots. **"** Stark, we're losing altitude." Fury said through the intercom. Tony felt his head ache. Too much pressure to take! "Yeah, Noticed." The rotors start propelling faster and faster as Tony's boosters get more and more bright. On the other side, Steve continuously shoots at Barton's men who are being controlled by Loki. Blinking at the wrong moment, Steve loses the upper hand and slides off the railing, but grabs onto a loose cable.

As Tony continuously spins Engine 3, giving it all he has. As he does so the helicarrier levels itself.

"Tony hurry!" Ray screamed. "Please!"

"Cap, I need the lever!" Tony panicked.

"I need a minute here!"

"Steve I don't have time!" he said as now Ray was practically screaming through the intercom. "Lever, Now!" he said as he lets go of the rotors. They spin by themselves and Tony is then caught in one. He gets stuck in the rotors, getting chewed up.

Ray's hand ached as she lets go of the pipe. "Toneee..." she calls. Right at that momentpulls the lever. A vent opens up from Engine 3and Tony falls out. He didn't even take a second and flies towards Deck B where he noticed Ray falling freely. "Ray!" he yells and putting full power to his thrusters zooms down.

Ray felt engulfed as she felt wind slide past her open hair. Her body felt light and she closed her eyes waiting for the impact. It never came! She felt someone lift her up just when she was only a few feet above the ground. She opened her eyes to see her brother. Tony carried Ray and flew straight up into the helicarrier hitting two agents whom Steve was fighting and tackled them and he laid on the floor releasing Ray who laid down beside him with a thud and breathed heavily. "Agent Coulson is down." She heard Fury say through the intercom. She closed her eyes and rested her head on the hard floor trying hard to catch her breath while she mentally tried to contemplate what had happened.

 **Yay! I finished Chapter 33. I wrote along chappie after a long time. So I feel really happy! Anyways, did you guys check my new story? If not please give it a try. The link is in my account.**

 **ImaginationsUnleashed**


	34. Chapter 34

**Hey guys! I am back! I know I was supposed to update Past Present and Future but today I really felt like continuing with this story. So here it goes!**

 **Chapter 34**

Tony and Ray look at the empty cell container blankly as they stand not saying a word when Steve walks in. "Was he married?" he asked.

"No. There was a uh...cellist, I think." Tony replied.

"I'm sorry. He seemed like a good man."

"He was an idiot!" Tony snapped at ones.

"Why? For believing?" Steve asked.

"For taking on Loki alone." Ray replied in an obvious tone.

"He was doing his job." Steve insisted.

"He was out of his league. He should have waited. He should have..." ray was cut off by Steve speaking again.

"Sometimes there isn't a way out, Ray."

"Right. How did that work for him?" Tony said walking in the other direction.

"Is this the first time you've lost a soldier?" Steve asked that made Tony turn around sharply "WE ARE NOT SOLDIERS!" he snapped. "We are not marching to Fury's fife!"

"Neither am I! He's got the same blood on his hands as Loki does. Right now we've got to put that aside and get this done. Now Loki needs a power source, if we can put together a list..." Steve said but Tony cut him short looking at the blood stained wall. "He made it personal."

"That's not the point." Steve pointed out.

"That is the point. That's Loki's point!" Tony exclaimed. "He hit us all right where we live. Why?"

"To tear us apart." Ray replied.

"He had to conquer his greed, but he knows he has to take us out to win, right? That's what he wants. He wants to beat us and he wants to be seen doing it. He wants an audience." Tony said getting more and more excited.

"Right, I caught his act at Stuttengard."

"Yeah. That's just a preview, this is opening night. Loki's a full-tilt diva. He wants flowers, he wants parades, he wants a monument built in the skies with his name plastered..."Tony stopped midsentence only to realise where Loki could go.

"Son of a bitch!" exclaimed Ray in frustration.

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Steve walks in full uniform and calls Natasha and Clint to suit up. Tony mends his own suit while Ray's was completely destroyed by the hulk. She had to retreat to Stark Tower to get herself new armour. Cap, Widow, Ray and Hawkeye walk towards and into the QUINJET. A young SHIELD pilot looks and stands in their way. "You are not authorized to be here..."

"Son... just don't." Said Steve backing him off as they fly off.

Tony arrives at STARK TOWER where Selvig activates the CMS device, holding the Tesseract. "Sir, I took off the arc reactor. The device is already self-sustained." JARVIS infored.

"Shut it down, Dr. Selvig." Tony ordered.

"It's too late! It can't stop now. He wants to show us something! A new universe."

"Okay." Said Tony as he aims his hands toward the CMS and fires. The energy from his boosters shatter with a deafening crack and Selvig falls backwards while down below the Stark Tower the citizen look up to see what was happening.

"Ms. Stark is in the compound in the workshop. She is preparing the Mark VII. It is not ready

To be deployed.

"Skip the spinning rims. We're on the clock. Tony lands his suit and goes through the gauntlet and unseats himself. Loki looks up at him, smiling as they proceed to walk into the penthouse.

IN THE STARK TOWER WORKSPACE

"Ms. Stark, Mr Stark has entered the penthouse and has confronted Loki." Voila said as Ray was in the workshop getting the suits ready.

"What!" Ray exclaimed as a virtual screen popped up in front of her.

"Tone, I don't think Loki is friendly enough to encounter him." She said through the intercom.

"Don't worry. I got this. Get the suit." he said walking casually walks down the steps, towards the bar.

"Please tell me you're going to appeal to my humanity." Loki said in a mocking tone.

"Uh...actually, I'm planning to threaten you."

"You should have left your armour on for that."

"Yeah, it's seen a bit of mileage."

"You've got the blue stick of destiny. Would you like a drink?"

"Stalling me won't change anything."

"No, no, no! Threatening. No drink? You sure? I'm having one."

"The chitauri are coming, nothing will change that. What have I to fear?"

"The Avenger." Tony say as Loki looks at him, confused "It's what we call ourselves, sort of like a team. 'Earth's Mightiest Heros' type of thing." He explained.

"Yes, I've met them." Loki smirks.

"Yeah, takes us a while to get any traction, I'll give you that one." Tony said smiling and then continued "But, let's do a head count here. Your brother, the demi-God; a super soldier, a living legend who kind of lives up to the legend; a man with breath-taking anger management issues; a couple of master assassins, and you, big fella, you've managed to piss off every single one of them."

"That was the plan." Loki said evilly smirking.

"Not a great plan. When they come, and they will, they'll come for you." From underneath the bar table, Tony pulls on colantotte bracelets, a honing device.

"I have an army."

"We have a HULK."

"I thought the beast had wandered off."

"You're missing the point. There's no throne, there is no version of this, where you come out on top. Maybe your army comes and maybe it's too much for us, but it's all on you. Because if we can't protect the Earth, you can be amned well sure we'll avenge it."

"Ms. Stark, it is time." Said JARVIS as Ray was getting the suits ready.

"Shut up J, you know how long it take!" she said impatiently.

Loki slowly walks up to him, raising the sceptre, "How will your friends have time for me, when they're so busy fighting you?" Tony holds his breath as Loki taps Tony on the chest with his sceptre. _PING!_ Nothing happened. Confused, Loki tires again. _PING!_ But nothing happened. Tony sighed in relief.

"It should work." Loki said confusion clear on his face.

"Well, performance issues. You know?" Tony said in a joking tone. In anger, Loki grabs Tony by the throat and flings him across the room.

"Ray, Anytime now!" he said as Loki grabs Tony by the throat.

"Two minutes, tone."

"Don't have that." He said in a choking voice.

"Fuck Tony. I'm doing it manually!" she said panickingly looking at the screen.

"You will all fall before me." Loki throws Tony out of the window. Tony freefalls down the tower. The pod laser shoots the colantotte bracelets on Tony as Ray had the suit read. The POD begins to transform into the MARK VII suit. It latches onto Tony and the suit FLIES up just before he hits

the ground or the gazing people. "Saved your butt!" Tony heard Ray say who was in her suit connected to him. Loki looks up, angry. "I saved you first!"

"And there's one other person you pissed off! His name was Phil." Tony said flying up facing Loki as he raises the sceptre as Tony fires at Loki, sending him on his ass.

Suddenly a hole in space rips open, and from it, the chitauri army spillout in flying chariot, carrying energy rifles with a bayonet on the end.

"Right. Army." Tony said as he flies up towards the portal. From his shoulders, a miniature multiple rocket launcher, pops out and fires. Like the Jerico missile, several targets are taken down unlike no

Missile but it's useless. Thousands of chitauri fly out as Tony flies towards the city.

"Stark, we're heading north east." Steve said as he walked out of the Quintjet.

"What, did you stop for drive-thru? Swing up PARK, I'm gonna lay 'em out for you."

 **EXT. STARK TOWER DAY**

Valkyre swoops down the street, causing a Chitauri to crash. Flying up, she puts the following chitauri in view of the Quintjet.

"Ray. Stay closer to the ground" he said worriedly looking at the destruction around her.

"Yeah." She said flying higher up.

"We have more incoming."said both the AIs to their masters.

"Let's keep them occupied." Both Ray and Tony head back to the portal where Thor and Loki were battling savagely. Loki fires ENERGY from the sceptre, sending Thor sliding across the floor.

From the portal, a freaking big chitauri leviathan flies out, carrying hundreds of soldiers; the chitauri leviathan passes Clint, Natasha and Steve. They look up, out of their element. From both sides, chitauri soldiers cling off and attach themselves to the sides of the buildings, sliding down. Some crash into these buildings and begin firing from their energy rifles at innocent people.

"Stark, are you seeing this?" Steve asked.

"I'm seeing, still working on believing." Tony said as he and Ray flied up the street.

"Where's Banner? Has he shown up yet?" Ray asked.

"Banner?" asked Steve

"Just keep us posted." Tony said as Voila and Jarvis works on finding a soft spot chitauri leviathan as they quickly fly behind and parallel with the chitauri leviathan.

The TRIO runs behind upside taxis. They look up and see Loki taking his band down the street and fires at the street in a chain of explosions, smashing cars and hurling people as it goes off one final conflagration.

"Those people need assistance down there. Chitauri soldiers that have landed near them and begin firing at them." Steve says as Natasha pulls both pistols and fires and turns to cap.

"We got this. It's good. Go!" said Natasha.

Steve turned to Hawkeye, "You think you can hold them off?"

"Captain." He says as he pulls a trigger on his bow. "It would be my genuine pleasure." He said as he shoots an arrow into the creature's head, gaining a few seconds for Cap as he falls down the bridge,

followed by an explosion. Cap races over to the plaza, jumping over dozens of exploding cars.

Tony swerves around a building and faces the chitauri leviathan. He pulls out his miniature multiple rocket launcher and flies. The chitauri leviathan roars in annoyance. The chitauri leviathan turns to him. "We got his attention. What the hell is step two?!" he says as he flies away.

"The powers surrounding the cube is impenetrable." Thor said through the intercom.

"Thor is right. We gotta deal with these guys." Replied Ray.

"How do we do this?" Nat asked.

"As a team."

"I have unfinished business with Loki."

"Yeah, get in line."

"Save it. Loki's gonna keep this fight focused on us and that's what we need. Without him these things could run wild. We got the Starks up top, he's gonna need us..." Steve said. Just then, Bruce arrives. Getting off, he looks around the city.

"So, this all seems horrible."

"I've seen worse." Ray said.

"Sorry."

"No. We could use a little worse."

"Stark? We got him."

"Banner?" asked Tony.

"Just like you said."

"Then tell him to suit up. I'm bringing the party to you. Tony comes out from behind a building. The chitauri leviathan follows, impatiently as the rest of the avengers look up, getting ready and standing

still.

"I... I don't see how that's a party..." Nat commentedas Tony swoops down the street. The chitauri leviathan also swoops down, barrelling down the street like a freight train that keeps building and building its intensity. Banner looks behind. Cap looks at him. Banner begins to walk towards the monster.

"Dr. Banner. Now might be a really good time for you to get angry."

"That's my secret, Captain. I'm always angry." Banner's body starts to swell and stretch and harden. Green shoots through his body as the Hulk emergesas it smashes the chitauri leviathan flipping it by 360 degrees. Valkyre, in mid-flight, extends her arm out and a rocket, ready to shoot. Ray fires - the rocket hits a soft spot. Large chitauri leviathan is blown completely away.

United against the common threat, to fight the foes no single super hero could withstand, THE AVENGERS ASSEMBLE!

From the portal, thousand more Chitauri soldiers and more chitauri leviathan fly out.The avengers look up.

"Call it, Cap." Said Tony

"Alright, listen up. Until we can close that portal up there, we're gonna use containment. Barton, I want you on that roof, eyes on everything. Call out patterns and strays. Starks, you both got the

perimeter. Anything gets more than three blocks out, you turn it back or your turn it to ash."

"Wanna give me a lift?" Clint asked Ray.

"Right. Better clench up, Legolas." She replied as she lifts Hawkeye up to the building.

"Thor, you've gotta try and bottleneck that portal. Slow them down. You've got the lightning. Light the chitauries up.

"You and me, we stay here on the ground, keep the fighting here." He said to Nat, "And Hulk, SMASH!" the Hulk smiles the most magnificient grin and leaps, soaring high. The fight goes on but for every chitauri they killed two more came. They were at loss.

AT SHIELD BASE

"If we don't hold them in the air, we lose everything." Said the Security Council chief said.

"I send that bird out, we already have."Fury shuts off his viewscreen.

Natasha, who was driving the chariot with the RIDER, is hit at her side. She looks about, wondering whose energy fires it was she looks behind.

"Oh. You." she said as she realises it was Loki. Loki follows in hot pursuit as they race downward, trailing between buildings. They race madly, driving and dodging. At the rooftop, Hawkeye looks at Nat, astonished. "Nat, what are you doing?"

"Uh... a little help!" she said as Hawkeye pulls the trigger twice, nocks an arrow, and points it

at Loki, smiling. "I've got him." He shoots the arrow but Loki catches it as he looks straight at Clint witha smirk but too his surprise the arrow explodes on his face and Loki falls on the Stark Penthouse Pad **.** Nat looks down and building her momentum, she JUMPS of the chariot, lands on top of Stark Tower, rolling herself to the edge.

As Loki looks up, shocked at what just happened, the hulk is leaping up and down and kicks Loki, hurling toward the glass window. He collapses as he hits the wall. The hulk jumps in, ready to

attack as Loki rolls himself up in a flurry of broken glass. Standing up to the hulk Loki yells. "Enough you all are beneath me! I am a god you dull creature, and I will not be bullied..." he is cut short as the Hulk grabs his legs and smashes him against the floor repeatedly and finally throws him side the ground. "Puny God!" Hulk says as Loki whimpers in pain .

Natasha walks up the CMS machine. Selvig, slumped down, weakened, looks at her desperately. The Tesseract's energy is firing towards the portal, gaining in strength, at the surge of energy moving through the sky.

"Doctor."

"Loki's sceptre, the energy...the Tesseract can't fight. You can't protect against yourself."

"It's not your fault. You didn't know what you were doing."

"Well, actually I think I did. I built in a safety to cut the power source. Loki's sceptre, it might be able to close the portal. And I'm looking right at it."

Tony flies right next to the chitauri leviathan and aims his chitauri leviathan at it. Nothing happens. Ray attempts for the same but nothing happens. "We will lose power before we cut through that fucking shell." Ray said as Tony flies up ahead, facing the oncoming monster.

"Uuu...language kid!" he joked.

"Yeah, sorry. It just slipped out."

"Kiddo, you ever hear the tale of Jonah?"

"Tone, I...I seriously wouldn't consider him a role model at this moment." She said in an unsure tone as Tony flies through the chitauri leviathan unleashing energy arsenal on the suit. The chitauri leviathan opens its mouth and Tony flies in and bursts out the other end, making the chitauri leviathan collapse. Tony rolls down the street. The wind is knocked out of him as he looks up with an overwhelming sigh. "See that?" he cheerfully said to his sister though a small band of chitauri soldiers were rushing towards him, holding out their rifles. "Yeah, cool! Now watch this!" she said as she landed just before him facing the approaching chitauri as Tony was still on the ground. She shot pure beam of energy which hit directly at the approaching chitauri and killed all of them at ones. "Wooah! That was sweet!" Tony said getting up. "Doing that would next time would drain a lot of our energy." Boombed Voila.

"Yeah, I know." Ray said.

"Ray, at the sixth square there are civilians trapped in a building." Steve said through the intercom.

"I'll be there." She said as she flew past her brother. Tony stared at her back. Damn he never wanted hher to be a part of this madness. _The last time!_ He mentally swore flying in the other direction taking down a few more chitauri.

"Stark, you hearing me?" Tony heard Fury through his intercom as he was fighting half a dozen chitauri. "We have a missile headed straight for the city."

"How long?"

"Three minutes, at best. Stay low and wipe out the missile." Nick said. Tony didn't even take a moment he fights off as many chitauri soldiers as he sustain. "Jarvis, put everything we got into the

thrusters!" he said.

"I just did." Said his obedient AI JARVIS as Tony leaves the streets and flies up into the sky.

"Ray, where are you?" Tony asked.

"6th square, third floor" she replied as she helped people out of the collapsing building.

"Good." He said and without a word flew directly towards the approaching missile.

Cap and Thor battle side to side as they both throw their respective weapons. Thor catches MJÖLNIR, but as Cap turns, an energy blast strikes him down hard. Thor runs over to a broken car, swings the hammer and flips the car over and over on its side, crushing a few chitauri soldiers. Cap tries to get up. Thor helps him back to his feet. Cap raises his SHIELD back up.

"You ready for another bout?"

"What? You gettin' sleepy?" Steve joked.

The building couldn't hold any longer. "Voila do a last check for civilians in the building." Ray said as her AI obeyed.

"I am getting heat signatures from the 13th floor."

"Hurry!" she said blasting of and smashing through the window finding a family sticking to eachother. She looked around to find something she could carry them on.

"Get on the bed!" she said as they hurriedly did as told. She smashed out of the wall carrying the family of four on her back as the building collapsed behind her. "Phew! Close one wasn't it?"

Back at Stark Tower, Selvig is back in scientist mode. He clanks at his laptop. Natasha grabs Loki's sceptre, slowly breaks into the force feild, almost touching the Tesseract.

"I can close it! Can anybody hear me? I can shut the portal down!"

"Do it!" Steve said when Tony spoke up.

"No, wait!"

"Stark, these things are still coming!"

"I got a nuke coming in, it's gonna blow in less than a minute. And I know just where to put it."

Tony catches up, now comes at the missile from behind. The missile speeds on as Tony grabs it from behind, gripping it tightly. With a mighty effort, he wrenches the rocket off its course, steering it from behind, he accelerates quickly, flying straight up into sky, towards the portal.

"Stark, you know that's a one-way trip?"

"Save the rest for return, J." He said not replying to Steve.

"Stop!" he heard his sister scream through the intercom. "You are not doing that!" she said in authoritive tone.

"Hey! Hey! Hey! Ray. Its fine. I promise!" he said though he was sure it wasn't true. "I'll be fine. I have enough energy to return."

"Yeah! Who are you lieing to? I helped you create it! The arc can never sustain that energy!"

"Don't worry." He insisted.

Ray was about to fly towards him when Jarvis spoke up. "Sir, your sister is about to take a flight!"

"Ray, No!" he said as jarvis hacked into her suit shutting it down. "And Ms. Potts is on line."

"Thanks J." Tony said.

"Tony, you can't do this!" she said, this time almost crying getting out of her suit.

"What? You thought you are the only hacker around?" Tony joked as he looked at the screen. The phone kept on ringing. _Pick up Pepper._

"Anthony Edward Stark, get down!" she screamed. As Steve held her back. "Tone, please. You promised..." she trailed.

"I know. I'm sorry. I love you, kiddo." He said as he climbs higher, gaining speed, suddenly flings himself through the portal. "I love you too..." he heard a faint reply from his sister as all his communications die. The suit begins to freeze as he looks in horror,the black sky is filledwith what must be ninety ships in a vague cluster. Most of them hang still in the air. Some move swimmingly about. Tony lets go of the missile. It whistles off into the blackness as Tony idly falls back down the portal's opening. The missile reaches the main ship. It causing the entire ARMADA to burst into a upernova, creating a spectacular heavenly display.

The Avengers look up at their consultant, not sure if he'll make it through. Ray looks up expectedly but sees nothing. Still holding the sceptre in hand, Natasha shifts around, waiting. "Come on, Stark...".Thor and Cap see the supernova coming towards them. Thor nods to Cap.

"Close it." Steve said still holding his first friend of the century. Without hesitating, Natasha pulls the scepture out, the tesseract turns off its energy beam. The portral closes. A small figure is hurled backwards into the open now closed portal. Tony, plummeting to the earth.

"Son of a gun!" Steve exclaimed smiling as Ray ones again looks keeps falling. And falling. And falling.

"He's not slowing down." Thor says as he swings Mjölnir around. Just as Thor is about to fly up, the hulk snags Iron Man out of air, crashing and sliding down a building. As he lands on the ground he throws Tony ff him. Ray, Thor and Cap run over to him. Thor rips off Tony's helmet. He appears to be dead. "No, no, no pump it." Ray mumbled incoherently as she realised the arc wasn't glowing and tried to. "Shit!" she said. Even her own suit was shut off. They stand around not sure almost loosing hope when the Hulk roars in fury. The noise startles Tony awake.

"What the hell?" he said breathing heavily "What just happened? Please tell me nobody kissed me?"

"We won." Steve said smiling.

"Alright. Hey. Alright. Good job, guys." He says as Ray just stares. Sometimes she really couldn't believe how he could remain so calm. "Let's just not come in tomorrow. Let's ...just take a day. Have you ever tried shawarma? There's a shawarma joint about two blocks from here. I don't know what it is, but I wanna try it."

"We're not finished yet." Thor says looking up at Stark Tower.

"And then shawarma after." Tony said looking at Ray giving her a warm smile as she hugged him trying to dig her face in his shoulder like she did as a kid but couldn't because of his suit.

 **Yay! That was chappie 34! Ok, I know most of you dint like A/ns but I wrote a really long chapter and my neck is aching now. So you all, for humanity, should read it! So I rewatched Chaplin yesterday and guess what, my love for Robert Downey Jr. just grew stronger. If you haven't watched it yet, I'd say, give it a try! Its really an awesome movie. I even insisted my mom to watch the movie and she loved it!**

 **Anyways, 'This is it!' is coming soon. And I can't explain how much I love and respect Micheal Jackson. You can actually find a lot of truth in his songs. He speaks out his feelings through them. I am truely into helping the needy right now. And his songs just seem to inspire me a lot. Current favourite track? 'Man In The Mirror'! Others include 'Heal the world', 'Black or White' etc. All the videos and the lyrics delivers a very true message. I would love it if you all just hear it ones if you haven't. I am sure it's worth it! And if you are interested in other tracks, try 'Librarian Girl', 'Another day has gone', 'Beat it!', 'Smooth Criminal'. They are equally great.**

 **Anyways, thats all for today.**

 **Thanks for sticking with me for so long.**

 **Love,**

 **ImaginationsUnleashed**


	35. Chapter 35

**Chapter 35**

"Alright V, let us set some atmosphere! I am feeling stagnated. Let's play some music shall we?" exclaimed Ray as she walked into the workspace of their Malibu house. "That just made me feel much better!" she exclaimed happily as Tony smiled at the teenager's reaction. They were working on making Micro-repeater that would be implanted in their hands to call for their suits.

"Alright Miss Stark, if your musical drama has ended, shall we play?"

"We shall, Mr. Stark." she chirped. "Please let me calibrate." Ray said for the 3rd time since they had started working.

"No no. That's an absolute waste of time." Tony insisted making Ray roll her eyes.

"Ah! Micro-repeater implanting sequence complete." Tony said he punched the triggers in both his arms then stood up on the platform for the testing.

"And sir, I've also prepared a safety briefing for you to entirely ignore." Jarvis said.

"Which I will. Right, let's do this." Tony said getting ready.

"Test day 1, Stark Triggers, Voila and Jarvis are taking on safety measures, Dummy is on the camera, Tony is on the platform and I am trying to understand why I am not allowed to do the testing." Ray said in the microphone sitting comfortably on her chair.

"Because, the last time you did it, you broke your arm." Tony said in a very obvious Tone.

"What makes you think you wouldn't?"

"'Cause I'm uncrushable!" he said showing his muscles as if he was Hercules making Ray roll her eyes. "Start tight and go wide, stamp in time. Mark 42 autonomous prehensile propulsion suit test. Initialize sequence." Ray said in the mic as Tony threw out his hand in an attempt to trigger his suit in a way that looked to Ray like some ridiculous karate move while making a face but it didn't work.

"I think you should not make that face. The Iron Man is scared of your face." Ray joked.

"Hey, Iron Man isn't scared of anyone. He is a worrier!" Tony said in a way kids talk about their toy robots and tried again but nothing happened. He lightly hit his hands, "Let's try it again." he said as the parts lifted. "Yeah!" he exclaimed as the arm part flew on him. "Alright, I think we got this. Send 'em all."

"Incoming." Ray said as the leg part flies over and attaches itself to Tony's leg, then as another part flies over it crashes into one of the Iron Man suit glass cages, then another part hurls itself at Tony and Tony inflects it with his arm making it crash. "Alright, Ray, you better slow it down a bi..." he was about to say but was cut short by the parts hitting him. "Eeee!" Ray said trying to slow it down but the command was passed.

"Send it one by one." Tony said trying to stay in one place as the parts hit him out of place.

"We didn't programme it like that." Ray said as suddenly another part of the suit shoots over and Tony ducks as it narrowly misses hitting him in the head. The other parts also fly over and attach themselves with force to Tony's back and crotch area.

"Damn it!" Tony exclaimed as he was knocked down by a part and he used his flight stabilizers to get back in place. Ray couldn't stop laughing seeing his brother dance on the platform to avoid his fall. All the other parts shoot over and get attached to Tony, accept for the final face piece, which just hovers, facing Tony "Come on. I ain't scared of you." he said as the plate went straight towards him but it hit the edge of the table turning around and Tony flips over to grab the piece and finally the Iron Man suit is fully attached to Tony. "I'm the best." He said. The moment Tony felt as if things were perfect one of the stray pieces of the suit shoot over to Tony, knock him down, which knocks the entire suit, except for the head piece, off Tony.

"Always a pleasure seeing you work, sir." Said Jarvis making Ray giggle.

"Not funny." Tony grumbled sitting up and taking the helmet off.

"I'll show you the video later and then tell you exactly why it is funny." Ray said walking up to him, still giggling. It was when Tony held his head that she realized that he was hurt. She also noticed that the region below his left eye had turned blue because of the face plate hitting him.

"Alright, alright, I'll get you an ice-pack." She said walking up the stairs and returning with an ice-pack.

Tony held the ice pack on his head with an irritated look on his face. "Aaawwe, Tone, you ruined your handsome face!" Ray joked rubbing the bruise with her thumb giving him a teasing look.

"Just a mark on my face can't ruin my manliness." Tony said with his attitude at its peak.

"Voila, just show him his face." Ray said with a smirk as a virtual screen appeared right in front of him.

"Eew!" Tony exclaimed looking at it making Ray giggle.

NEXT DAY

Tony, Ray and Pepper sat in the living room after dinner talking and chatting. Well Ray was mostly sitting quietly with her legs on the coffee table with her head against Tony's shoulder. She was tired. She couldn't sleep since the incident in New York. She would either spend her time with her brother in his garage or in her room awake. The only time she slept was when she fell asleep on her desk while typing or writing something. It took her a long time to think but she finally had made a decision. She couldn't stay on a diet of sleeping pills. She had to try and pay attention on other things. Well she did try going out with her old school friends but she didn't knew exactly why they had been acting different since she returned from New York as, though unofficially, an avenger.

She had to try and get on with her studies. It had been about a year now that she hadn't been in touch with her books. Though she did complete school when she was 14, she went so that she could mix around with people of her own age. But all that didn't matter to her anymore. She couldn't sit back at her home all her life without any degree. So this was a very appropriate decision.

"Hey, I gotta tell you guys something." She stated making both Tony and Pepper look at her.

"What?" asked Tony.

"Just wait a minute." She said getting up, rushing to her room and then returning back with a file and handing it to Tony. He gave her a suspicious look before opening it. "You applied for MIT?" Tony asked shocked. Before ray wasn't even interested in going to any institution even though Tony tried to. She said that she 'needed a break and had a lot of time in her hand' Tony had even stopped asking her if she really wanted to study anymore or not. But again it was Ray who finally came up and suggested that she should get back with her studies. "Why so suddenly?" asked Tony out of immense curiosity.

"Yeah... I think I had a lot of break and this might be a good time to start up."

"That...that is indeed a good thought." Pepper commented. "I mean, you really have been wasting a lot of your time and it is important to get a degree."

"Tell me Ray. Is this the only reason you wanna go there?" Tony asked, concerned.

Ray sighed. She was previously thinking that she wouldn't tell her brother the truth but at this moment she felt as if he really deserved to know the truth. She really didn't want to lie to him. "I...I umm... need some air Tony. It has been quite a rough time. I... I wanna be a little normal. Maybe I need some change in atmosphere...or maybe a distraction. And I also want to break."

Tony paused for sometime before he spoke up, "If that is what you want, Ray. I have nothing to object." He placed a hand on her shoulder. "It's good that you finally have decided to take some interest in your career."

"So it's a 'yes'?"

"Why would I say no?"

Ray smiled before hugging her older brother. "Guess what? I'm gonna break your record of youngest MIT pass out."

"Don't tell me this what is all about!" Tony joked.

"Alright, I need you to sign in a few places." She said as she giggled along with him.

AT NIGHT

As usual, Tony was in his garage, working. Ray however didn't feel like going to the garage. She sat down on her bed, thinking. She had to leave for MIT day after the following. She was really looking forward to this but the moment she realizes that going to MIT meant staying away from Tony made her feel bad. "Ray?" she was broken out of her trance by Pepper calling her. "What are you doing? I thought you were at the garage with Tony."

"No, I just didn't feel like working today." Ray replied as Pepper walked up to her and sat down beside her on her bed. "So, what's disturbing you?" asked she.

"Disturbing?" Ray was left a little off guard. "I'm not disturbed."

"Come on! There is something. Or else, you wouldn't be sitting here." She insisted. Ray sighed. After Tony, there was anyone whom Ray would trust, and it was Pepper. She was somewhat like a sister figure to her and she knew that if she was in any trouble, Pepper would always be there for her. But she really didn't exactly know how to frame her sentence.

"I don't know..." she began. "You think I should go to MIT?" she asked.

Pepper was shocked at the question. "Give me a reason you shouldn't. Ray it's the best decision you have taken in years!" she replied laughing a bit.

"Yeah, but...you know... is it the right time?"

"Are you thinking about Tony?" she asked now in a bit serious tone.

"Do you think I should go?"

"Ray, I think...you should. I mean why not! Your lives are always complicated, ever since you became Iron Man and Valkyre and its going to stay so. That doesn't mean you stop doing other stuff. I think it is actually a great idea to try and start doing something new." She said as Ray nodded. "And talking about Tony..." she added, "he would have missed you then, he would miss you now. So don't make him a reason to not go to MIT. I'll take care of him, I promise."

NEXT DAY

"Be good." Pepper said as if she was talking to a seven year old as she bid good bye to Ray. "Do not over eat, do not under eat. Wake up on time and go to bed in a decent time and..." Pepper trailed.

"Yes mom..." Ray joked before turning to her brother who would drop her to the air port. "Shall we?" she asked taking her seat in the red Audi.

"Yes..." Tony said with a smile as he drove off.

"Just be good and don't blow off the stuff there, 'cause I wouldn't be there to cover up your back there." Tony said. "And don't focus too much on breaking my record."

"You are afraid that I might!" Ray joked as she hugged her dear brother.

"I'd only be proud." He said honestly making her smile. Tony wasn't comfortable letting his baby sister go and stay among unknown people. Even though she was basically a part of a super hero team and smart enough to take care of herself.

"I'll miss you too." Ray said with a small laugh realising that Tony was hugging her way too long ".

"What is you have a nightmare?" Tony asked in a worried tone. Ray flinched.

"I can call you, right?" she said with a faint unsure smile.

"Anytime." Tony said before finally breaking the hug, "Take care. Love ya!" he added.

"Love you too." She said before going up the stairs of their private jet and turned around at the door to wave before the door closed.

AT MIT

Ray walked past the corridors of MIT. As she did, the others stared at her. "Look, isn't the Ray Stark?" someone said. "Oh my god, it is she!"someone else exclaimed. "Damn, that's Valkyre!" Ray ignored all these comments and stares making her way to the room allotted to her. Being a Stark, she has always been used to the attention. She never have felt awkward in this atmosphere.

MIT was all that she had heard about. Lectures, professors everything! She hadn't made any friends yet. Though it has been only a week she had joined. But she had become very close to Professor Smith. He seemed to be very fascinated to have her as his student. He had already earned her respect with his love and passion towards his subject and the way he believed that teaching and spreading his subject could be way of progress. He had met her personally and talked to her. They seem to have the same bent of mind.

AT STARK MANSION

"Tony, I think you should stop now!" Pepper exclaimed angrily.

"Stop? Stop what?" Tony asked not even looking up from his screen where he was working in his garage.

"How long have you been here?"

"I...I have no idea." Tony said still not looking at her.

"38 hours." Sir popped in JARVIS.

"That's right." Tony said.

"Thirty... Thirty eight hours. Tony you need to stop doing whatever you are doing and get some rest!"

"Pepper I am absolutely fine and comfortable with what I am doing."

"But I'm not!" Pepper snapped. "How long has it been since we had decent conversation?"

"W e are having one right now."

"Not like this." She said as she switched his virtual screen off.

"Hey!" he exclaimed.

"Tony we live in the same house and you have been doing nothing but stay in this hole. Can't you give me some time?" she said. "All you do is sit here and make those stupid robots..." "armours!" he corrected but she didn't pay any attention and continued "and fidget with them. It's like I am of no value to you!"

"What? No...no it isn't like that!" Tony defended.

"It is how it seems." Pepper said.

"It doesn't."

"It does!" Pepper said angrily. She was hurt and Tony noticed it. _Did I really have been paying no attention to her?_ He asked himself. "Alright, I'm sorry. I had been a dick. I didn't notice that I had been here for so long. Give me a chance."

"I have given many!" she said.

"I know! I know! That's why I apologize! You know how I am when it's about working here. But..." he walked towards here cupping her face, "but you also know I love you." Pepper smiled a bit. She always melted by these sweet quotes of Tony.

"Alright, let me fix this!" Tony said gaining his hyperactive self. "Dinner tonight? The Royal, your favourite!" Pepper smiled. "Should I take it as a 'yes'?"

"Yes." She said as Tony placed his lips on his lady love's.

"Now, I have to go to the Expo." Pepper said.

"Yeah." He said releasing her as she left.

"Be there. Sharp at seven." He called back.

"Yes, Mr. Stark."

 **So here's chapter 35. I know it's a bit short but writing too much and expanding it will make it boring. The next chapter will have a bit of Pepperony. Though I am not sure if there is going to be too much of romance or if I am going to give it a funny touch. Tell me what you want will you? It'll help me decide.**

 **Bye till then.**

 **ImaginationsUnleashed**


	36. Chapter 36

**Chapter 36**

Tony went down the staircase to his room to his room. "JARVIS is the table in The Royal booked?" he asked as he took out a few suits from his wardrobe.

"It is. Your favourite corner table, near the window sir." JARVIS replied.

"Good job." He said. It felt odd even to Tony himself that the billionaire playboy. Who has dated so many women felt nervous when it came to Pepper. He felt nervous because he was thinking way too much so that he could keep things perfect on his date night. He chose a few suits and clicked their picture before sending them to his sister. "Don't you dare think I'm acting like a girl sending pics to her bestie but I'm confused. Which one?" he wrote.

"Wait... What is this about?" came a reply after a few moments.

"I have a date night."

"Lets hope its Pepper!"

"Yes it is, sweetheart. I am a committed man. Now please can you choose."

"The black one, with a black thin tie." She replied.

"I thought you liked white?" he asked sitting with a thud on the couch.

"Yeah, but I always felt you look better in black. And don't go too formal. Keep your hair casual."

"Noted." He replied ones again.

"So, did you get a gift?" she asked.

"I'll ask JARVIS to order a bouquet of roses."

"She likes tulips." She pointed out rolling her eyes from the other end. He was never good at selecting gifts!

"Yeah right! Thanks! Damn, what would I do without you?"

"You are useless without me." She replied.

"Alright, you are making me nervous." He replied being honest.

"Whaaaat! Tony Stark, the billionaire playboy, the merchant of the hearts of women is NERVOUS?" he could practically imagine Ray laughing from the other end.

"Yes... And stop laughing. IT IS NOT FUNNY!"

"Seriously? Come on, Tone. It's Pepper. You know her for years now!"

"That's the problem. IT IS PEPPER! I don't wanna make this memorable."

"Okay, not that I'm a lover of romantic fluff but I gotta agree, you are being too damn CUTE!"

"Did you just call me cute?"

"Go and read the previous message. I just did!"

"That's fine. All girls say that!"

"Yeah, whatever! Just don't worry. Order something light and healthy for both of you, you know how she is choosy about her diet and try to be natural. Everythings gonna be fine!"

"Thanks! That feels better."

"You are welcome big brother."

"Yeah, gotta go now. Bye!"

"Bye!"

"JARVIS, you heard what Ray said? Order something light." He said getting up from his seat.

"I'm on it sir. Would you like some champagne after dinner?"

"Great Idea! Good!"

"I'm happy to be at your service, sir."

AT MIT

It has been a week at MIT. Ray was actually feeling good being back with studies. She rather was feeling like her younger self when she was in school, when life was far easier and tension free. The thing she was really liking were the different projects given to them. As MITians they would be allowed to sit and just study their books. They were given practical assignment that they had to complete in a specified time. Different groups of five were made for completing their projects. Her members were very happy to have her in the team. Ray on the other hand who was used to working alone or with her brother found it quite fun to work in a team of smart people.

"Rayne!" called Robert, a guy from her team. "You gotta check this." He said showing her the hardware part of the bot they were making. It was a helping hand robot that would do any job that it would be commanded to do. Somewhat like Dum-E, but smarter.

"Make it smaller. It helps in increasing the flexibility and will help it have a 270 degree turning head."

"Have you made one earlier?"

"More like Tony made one back when he was here. I've done a lot of changes to it though." She replied as she concentrated in her work on creating the program.

AT CALIFORNIA

It went more or less well. Until Tony tried to get into his Avenger avatar again. He had cursed himself about the 13th time now for leaving Pepper alone in the hotel. But he couldn't help. He had noticed a car following them when they had taken the main road and the weird looking guy with a huge burn on the right of her face, came out of the car sat infront of them at the hotel and had been staring at them for as long as they were there. It was when this guy got up and started walking outside that Tony couldn't help. He got up and followed him.

"Where are you going?" Pepper asked shocked as he suddenly got off his seat.

"I think you might want to have some ice cream..." Tony said.

"But we're only half way through the meal!" Pepper exclaimed.

"Doesn't matter honey!" he called back as he had already walked a few seats away leaving Pepper confused.

Tony and followed the guy for half an hour before he lost him in the dark alley. _Shit!_ He exclaimed. He had lost the guy and had surely got Pepper angry on her. He was proved right as when he entered the hotel Pepper had already left.

AT STARK MANSION

"Pepper?" Tony called as he walked inside his home. "Pepper I bought you the ice cream I had been looking for!"

"This is lame. This is absolute lame, Tony. You left me alone in the hotel? How could you do that?" she asked angrily.

"I didn't leave you. I went to get you some ice cream."

"Oooh! It took you forty five minutes to buy ice cream?" Pepper

"It's limited and very rare!" he said showing her the cones.

"Vanilla is rare and limited?" Pepper rolled her eyes.

"Yes...yes..." he was about to speak but Pepper didn't wait for him and she walked off towards her room. "Pepper wait! Please! Let me explain!"

TIME JUMP

Tony was sitting in his garage when he heard his phone ring. As he received the phone "Tone?" boombed Ray's voice.

"Ray? H...hey." he greeted still not completely recovered from his latest fight with Pepper.

"How did it go?" she asked in a rather excited tone.

"Yeah...uum...it went... good." He tried to lie but greatly failed.

"What?" Ray exclaimed. "You screwed up again, even after so much preparation?"

"Hey...hey I didn't screw up, ok?"

"Yeah, it's evident from your tone!" she mocked.

"Just a misunderstanding." He defending.

"Yeah, let's hope. So what did you do?"

Tony rolled his eyes. "A weird looking guy had been following us. He was sitting on our opposite table and starring as if he could eat me up. When he got up to leave I followed him."

"Leaving Pepper?!"

"I said I was going to get some ice cream!"

"Yeah, lamest excuse you could think about!"

"Not my fault! I wasn't thinking about that. I had my attention on the guy."

"How did you know he was following you? Maybe he was just there eating."

"He was staring!"

"You are a Stark. Everyone stares at you!

"He looked weird, with a huge burn on his face. Trust me Ray, this guy, there's something wrong about him!"

"Tony, you really need to calm down and stop suspecting any weird looking guy around you. it's just your imagination!"

Tony rolled his eyes. He knew that at this moment no one would believe him. Maybe he was a little bit stressed out but that doesn't mean he has to stop trusting his instincts. "Hey, try to be normal. Don't just always think someone is around with a dagger to kill you. Chill. And go make up with Pepper." Ray said.

"Hmm..." he said before hanging up.

He got off his chair and walked up to his room where Pepper was asleep. He sighed. It wasn't her fault. She didn't deserve to live in this Super Hero shit. She deserved to be normal, he went closer and laid down beside her, hugging her from the back. "I'm sorry." He whispered in her ear. She only murmured something in her sleep before turning towards him and hugging him back. Expecting some good dreams, or atleast no dreams instead of those nightmares he had been having eversince New York, he closed his eyes. It had been 36 hours since he last slept. It didn't even take him minutes before he was fast asleep.

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 **Yay! Here's chapter 36 y'all!** **Ok let me make this clear. I have only two months left for my final exams. It's a public exam and students from all over the country give this exam. So I will e very busy studying. I don't know if there are any chances of updating soon. But I will if I get any time. Just two more months, then I'll be regular!**

 **Anyways, please review! Means a lot!  
**

**So bye till then,**

 **Love you all!**

 **ImaginationsUnleashed**


	37. Chapter 37

**Chapter 37**

It was the presentation day when the students of MIT had to submit their projects. Well Ray's team was quite confident. The fact that The Rayne Stark was in their team was enough to make them believe that they would win the best project prize. And well, they did!

"This wouldn't have been possible without you, Ray." Said Robert as Carly and Stephen agreed with a smile.

"Yeah, well, you're lucky to have me." Ray replied with a grin plastered on her face. They didn't mind though. They had been working with Ray for 6 months now and they knew the fact that she actually did acknowledge their presence in the team. They accepted the fact that the younger Stark was the exact duplicate of the older one and they had to accept that even if they didn't like the way she spoke. They really didn't have any choice in that!

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Jane visited Ray and they were sitting in the nearby coffee shop when the news of the frequent bombings came up on the TV. Jane noticed that Ray was lost looking at the news thinking something and murmuring something in her mind. "Hey! Wake up!" Jane snapped her out of her trance.

"What?" asked Ray, shocked.

"What are you thinking?"

"About these attacks." She replied plainly.

"Why are you so bothered about it."

"People are dieing Jane."

"Yeah, I know but isn't it something that the CIA or FBI should be bithered about?"

"No, there's something else to it."

"What do you mean?"

Ray took a breath and then looked at her for a moment who was waiting for her answer. "Alright, I'll tell you. These are not any regular bombings. In each case the body of the bombers and the parts of the bomb has not been found. And the heat signatures are too high."

"Ray," Jane began, "I think you shouldn't be bothering yourself with these-"

"Why shouldn't I?" Ray cut her mid sentence. "You think you know everything? The American government has been hiding things. There has been nine bombings and the people know about only 3! You think it is that simple?"

"What? How did you know that?"

"I hacked in."

"You hacked in? No Ray, thats what I am talking about! You came here because you wanted to stay away from those avengers stuff and now you're dragging yourself into it again!"

"How can I not bother myself with these? It's my responsibility!"

"No its not Ray!" Jane said. "Trust me, don't get yourself into these. Atleast not when the government not want your interference. It best for you." she said. Ray didn't reply. She was right. Ray did come to MIT as an escape from all the Aavengers shit. Then why was she dragging herself into these?

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As time passed, Ray found herself getting use to MIT. After Jane's suggestion she had actually tried not getting into the government files and all she did was work in the lab and spend more time in the lectures, sometimes hanging out with her batchmates. She would occationally call her brother and sometimes Pepper and even Steve to have small chats just to keep herself busy when she didn't have anything to do. Everything looked fine and normal until IT happened.

She was sitting in a cafe with Carly and Robert when all of a sudden there was huge screaming and shouting. They had hardy realised what had happened when there was a huge shockwave and fire somewhere outside smashing everything around them, crumbling the building into debris. Ray who had jumped under the table along with Robert while the whole building literally collapsed over them. For the first time eversince coming to MIT, Ray wished she had bought her Valkyre suit with her.

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When Ray woke up she was lying down on a hospital bed it took her sometime to realises what happened. "Ray?" she heard the familiar voice of her brother. "Damn, you had got me worried!" he said as Ray sat up. She wasn't injured much though. Only a cracked elbow. The table had protected them. "When they found you, you were unconscious." He said.

"What happened exactly?" she asked.

"They are speculating that it was some bombing."

"Was it for me?" she asked, this time in a worried tone.

"No." Tony replied. "I don't think so." He said hugging her. It was evident to Ray that Tony was worried. He was already not comfortable letting her stay alone and now this happened! "Hey, I'm okay!" she said.

"Yeah..." Tony said relaxing a bit. "Thank goodness you are! I mean, the whole fucking building fell over you!"

"Yeah!" Ray said with a small laugh. It really was a close encounter. Then suddenly a thought struck her. "Tony! You know about my friend."

"I...I don't know them." He replied honestly. "I can find out." He said looking at the worried face of his sister. "What are their names?"

"Robert Grey and Carolette Scott."

"Don't worry, okay?"

"Hmm..."was the only thing Ray said in reply.

"Hey!" Tony said trying to gain her attention. "It's going to be fine."

"That's not what I'm thinking about." She replied.

"Then what?"

"I think... I think it wasn't a bomb."

"What?" Tony said. he didn't get it. It was literally a blast. Eye witnesses had claimed the same and so heat signatures were similar. "What do you mean?"

"I didn't hear any blast."

"What?"

"I was only the fire and a different sound. A shrilling sound. Definitely not like a bomb."

"Maybe you heard wrong."

"No Tony. He hear stuff. More than anyone else. You know it! This was different."

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 **So here it is! Chapter 4! I am sorry it is kinda short. Actually I hadn't been in touch with this for so long that I had forgotten what I was about to write. But don't worry. I've got into the flow again. The next few chapters are going to be Iron Man 3. So stick with me! I'll update soon.**

 **ImaginationsUnleashed**


	38. Chapter 38

**Chapter 38**

As Ray had speculated, the heat signatures from the bombing were very similar to the ones the government were hiding. She had now forgotten all the suggestions that Jane had given her about staying away from the freaking avengers stuff. This was personal now. Yeah, both Robert and Carly were fine and had walked without any serious injuries but there were other casualties. 37 people were dead. The ones who were in close proximity to the blast were instantly vaporised! The fact that so many people had lost their lives in the presence of Valkyre was disturbing.

 _Ray you're not an avenger. Saving these lives was never your duty._ Tony had told her but she still couldn't help.

 _I am fucking getting myself into this freak show again._ She mumbled.

 _Well was always a part of one._ She wondered sometime later.

 _I am just checking in the government files to know if there is any imminent threat to me and my loved ones._ She mentally assured herself as she hacked into the US government's documents but it was basically nonsense. They had no lead on who was the reason behind these bombings.

She was sitting in the coffee shop with Carly drinking her coffee when suddenly the TV that was on with some music channel playing got hacked.

" _Some people call me a terrorist"_ said a man on the screen _"I consider myself a teacher. America, ready for another lesson."_ The broadcast showed videos of devastation _. "In 1864 in Sand Creek Colorado the U.S. military waited till the friendly Cheyenne braves all gone hunting, waited to attack and slaughter their families left behind, and claim their land. Thirty-nine hours ago the Ali Al Salem Air Base in Kuwait was attacked. I...I...I did that."_ He spat. " _A quaint military church filled with wives and children, of course. The soldiers were out on maneuver, the braves were away. President Ellis you continue to resist my attempts to educate you, sir. And now, you've missed me again. You know who I am, you don't know where I am, and you'll never see me coming."_ Everyone in the shop went quiet.

"Oh god!" Ray heard someone exclaim.

"Ray?" called Molly bringing her back to her senses. "Are you gonna do anything about it?"

She sat up. "I need to go. I need my laptop now!" she said as she headed back to her hostel in MIT.

AT TONY'S PLACE

Rhodes and Tony Stark are at a bar and they see Joan Rivers making fun of the Iron Patriot suit on TV. Well honestly, Tony didn't like it either and its name! Why would they name him Iron Patriot? That was so foolish! War machine was so better! It tested well with focus groups, alright? I am Iron Patriot..." mocked Tony making a peculiar voice.

" Listen, War Machine was a little too aggressive, alright? This sends a better message." Defended Rhodes.

"So what's really goin' on? With Mandarin. Seriously, can we talk about this guy?" Tony asked as he moved closer to Rhodes so that they could speak without being audible to the others.

"It's classified information, Tony. Okay, there have been nine bombings." Rhodey said.

"Nine."

" The public only knows about three. Here's the thing, nobody can ID a device. There's no bomb casings."

" You know I can help, just ask. I got a ton of new tech, I got a prehensile, I got a...I got a new bomb disposal. Catches explosions mid-air." Tony suggested.

"When's the last time you got a good night's sleep?" Rhodes asked rather worried.

"Einstein slept three hours a year. Look what he did!"

"People are concerned about you, Tony. I'm concerned about you."

"You're gonna come at me like that?"

"No. No, look, I'm not trying to be a dic..."Rhodes was about to say when a girl and a boy come up to their table. "...tator." he finished covering up when was about to say _DICK._

"Do you mind signing my drawing?" asked the little girl.

"If Richard doesn't mind." Tony said and turned to Rhodes. "You alright with this, Dick?"

"Fine with me." Rhodes shrugged. Tony was Tony afterall!

Tony looks at the drawing of himself in his Iron Man suit that the girl has drawn and then turns at her. "What's your name?"

"Erin." She replied.

He then looks at the boy standing next to him. "I loved you in A Christmas Story, by the way." It was cute, the way he was talking to the kids as Rhodey continued while Tony is signs Erin's drawing.

"Listen, the Pentagon is scared. After what happened in New York... aliens, come on. They need to look strong. Stopping the Mandarin is priority, but it's not..."

"It's superhero business, I get it." Tony completed.

"No, it's not, quite frankly. It's American business."

"That's why I said I...got it."He said as he rests his forehead on his left plam as he still was writing on Erin's drawing. Suddenly he looks ill. He places his hand on his face. "Are you okay?" asked Rhodes worried.

"I broke the crayon." He said taking short breaths.

"Are you okay, Mr. Stark?"

"Take it easy. Tony..." Rhodes says as the little boy whispers to Tony, "How did you get out of the wormhole?" Suddenly Tony rises up with a jerk and starts walking off out of the bar. "Wait a minute! Tony!" called Rhodes but he didn't even hear him. Rhodes followed him as he walked out the bar.

"What'd he say?!"

"Tony!"

"Sorry. Have to check on the suit...make sure...okay." he said as he steps into his Iron Man suit that was parked outside the bar and kneels down. He could even stand on his legs! "Check the heart, check the...check the...is it the brain?" he said, panic clear in his voice.

"No sign of cardiac anomaly or unusual brain activity" JARVIS assured.

"Okay, so I was poisoned?" Tony asked taking short and uneasy breaths.

"My diagnosis is that you've experienced a severe anxiety attack."

"Me?"

AT THE STARK EXPO

"Badge...badge...badge. Badge, guys. I put a memo in the toilet, come on." Happy said as he walks in the corridor and then goes to Pepper as he sees her walk out with John He starts talking about Tony's robots which he uses in his labs and garage. "Tony has got them in his basement, they're wearing party hats. This is an asset that we can put to use."

"Uh-huh. So, you're suggesting that I replace the entire janitorial staff with robots?"

"What I'm saying is that the human element of Human Resources is our biggest point of vulnerability. We should start phasing it out immediately."

"What!? Did you just say that?"

"Security."

"Happy?"

"Yes."

"Okay, I am thrilled that you're now the Head of Security, okay? It is the perfect position for you."

"Thank you."

"However..."

"I do appreciate it."

"Since you've taken the post..."

"You don't have to thank me."

"We've had a rise in staff complaints of three hundred percent." She finally completed. "Thank you." said happy fully satisfied with what she had just said.

"That's not a compliment."

"That's not a compli...? It is a compliment! Clearly somebody's trying to hide something." He protested.

"Miss Potts, your four o'clock is here." Said John approaching Pepper as she turned to him quite shocked at what Happy had just said. "Thank you." she said.

"Did you clear this four o'clock with me?" Happy asked.

"Happy, we'll talk about this later. But right now I have to go deal with this very annoying thing." Pepper stopped him as she started walking towards her office.

"How so?" Happy asked.

"I used to work with him, and he used to ask me out all the time. So it's a little awkward." She said as Happy opens her office glass door and they enter. "I don't like the sound of that." He commented as they step inside, they see Aldrich, looking handsome and fit in a business suit.

"Pepper."

"Killian?"

"You look great. You look really great."

"God, you look...you look great. I... I...I can't... What on earth have you been doing?"

"Nothing fancy, just five years in the hands of physical therapists. And please, call me Aldrich."

"Uh...you were supposed to be issued a security badge." Happy interrupted.

"Happy, it's okay." Pepper said.

"Yes?"

"We're good."

"You sure?"

"Yes. Stand down."

"Okay. I'm gonna linger, right here."

"Thank you."

"Okay." Ha says as he steps out of Pepper's office and closes the glass door. "It's very nice to see you, Killian." as Hogan waits outside Pepper's office, he sees Aldrich's man sitting in the waiting area. Weird and creepy. "Hey, guy!" he calls asking him to show him his security badge asthe guy picks up his badge from the table next to him and holds it up to show Hogan he has a badge.

On the other hand Killian was still in Pepper's office talking to her. "After years dodging the President's ban on 'immoral biotech research', my think tank now has a little something in the pipeline. It's an idea we like to call Extremis. I'm gonna turn your lights down." He said as he dims the lights then holds in his hand three small metal balls. "Regard the human brain." he throws the balls onto the coffee table and as they roll and stop, they project a 3d image of the universe into the room. **"** Uh...wait. Hold on, hold on. That's...that's the universe, my bad. But if I do that..." he presses his projector control which changes the 3d image to show inside of the brain, "That's the brain. Strangely mimetic though, wouldn't you say?"

"Wow, that's amazing!" Pepper says as she look up in awe.

"Thanks, it's mine."

"What?"

"This...you're inside my head. It's a..." he taps behind his ear, referring to the machine that is stuck there. "It's a live feed. Come on up, I'll prove it to you."Aldrich rises from the couch and stands on the coffee table. "Come on." He says as he helps Pepper to stand on the coffee table next to him, they stand directly in the 3d image. "Now, pinch my arm. I can take it. Pinch me." he pinches him and immediately something lights up in the 3d image of Aldrich's brain. "What is that?" asked Pepper shocked. "It's the primary somatosensory cortex. It's the brain's pain center. But this is what I wanted to show you." He turns Pepper round and presses his projector control and starts changing and moving the image with his hand. "Now, Extremis harnesses our bioelectrical potential and it goes...here." he says shpwing a void in the brain. "This is essentially an empty slot, and what this tells us is that our mind, our entire DNA in fact, is destined to be upgraded." He explained.

"Wow."

As Hogan sits outside Pepper's office, he gets a call on his tablet, he answers the call and holds the tablet high so the camera monitor shows only his forehead and eyes. "Is this forehead of Security?" asked Tony in his regular playful manners.

"What? You know, look, I got a real job. What do you want? I'm working, I got something going on here." Happy said as he holds the tablet now a bit lower.

"What? Harassing interns?" asked Tony as he was in his lab.

"Let me tell you something, you know what happened when I told people I was Iron Man's body guard? They would laugh in my face." He said making Tony laugh at his face. It surely was funny!

"I had to leave while I still had a shred of dignity. Now I got a real job, I'm watching Pepper."

"What's going on? Fill me in." Tony asked.

"For real?"

"Yeah."

"Alright, so she's meeting up with this scientist. Rich guy, handsome."

"Right."

"I couldn't make his face at first, right? You know I'm good with faces."

"Oh, Yeah, yeah. You're the best."

"Yeah. Well, so I run his credentials, I make him Aldrich Killian. We actually met the guy back in... where were we in '99? The science conference?"

"Um...Switzerland."

"Right, right, exactly."

"Killian? No, I don't remember that guy."

"Of course you don't. He's not a blond with a big rack. At first it was fine, they were talking business, but now it's like getting weird. He's showing her a big brain."

"His what?"

"Big brain, and she likes it. Here, let me show you. Hold on. See?" He holds his tablet up and points it towards Pepper's glass office, where Aldrich and Pepper are standing close together on the coffee table watching the 3d image of the brain, but all Tony sees is Hogan pointing the tablet camera at himself as the front the camera was on. "Look at what? You watching them? Flip the screen and then we can get started."

"I'm not a tech genius like you. Just...just trust me, get down...down here." He said sounding confused.

"Flip the screen, then I can see what they're doing." Tony insisted but he just couldn't understand what he meant. "I can't! I don't know how to flip the screen! Don't talk to me like that anymore. You're not my boss." He rather says. As Hogan is talking, Tony uses his small tablet device to look up Aldrich and finds his photo "Alright, I don't work for you. Now I don't trust this guy. He's got another guy with him, he's shifty." He added.

"Relax." Tony said in a casual tone.

"Seriously?" Happy was rather shocked.

"I'm just asking you to secure the perimeter. Tell him to go out for a drink or something?"

"You know what? You should take more of an interest in what's going on here. This woman... this woman's the best thing that ever happened to you... and you...you're just ignoring her."

"A giant brain?" Tony asked again.

"Yeah, there's a giant brain, there's a shifty character. I'm gonna follow this guy. I'm gonna run his plates and if it gets rough, so be it."

"I miss you, Happy."

"Yeah, I miss you too. But the way it used to be. Now you're off with the 'superfriends', I don't know what's going on with you anymore. The world's getting weird..."

"Hey, I...I'd hate to cut you off." Tony interrupted, "Do you have your taser on you?"

"Why?"

"I think there's a gal in HR who's trying to steal some printer ink, you should probably go over there and zap her." He says as he puts his small tablet in his wine fridge and closes it and walks off still with Hogan online.

"Yeah, nice."

 **So here's chapter 38. Phew! I slept only 4 hours last night 'cause I was too busy reading a fanfiction. Damn! It was awesome. I am up from 3o'clock and I am starting to feel sleepy already! I wonder how Tony and Ray do it!**

 **And here is a countdown for Avengers INFINITY WAR**

 *******41 DAYS TO GO AND I DONT KNOW WHAT TO DO TILL THEN*******

 **So that's all for today!**

 **Please Review 'cause it lights me up!**

 **ImaginationsUnleashed**


	39. Chapter 39

**Chapter 39**

Happy followed the weird looking guy to the Chinese Theatre where he met another guy. He watched them carefully as they talked and the weird guy handed him a suitcase and then walked off. As the other guy got up from his seat and started to walk off, Happy intentionally bumped into him. "'m sorry, buddy." He helped him put the stuff back in the briefcase, and as he looks at the man. To his surprise, he notices that he is glowing red. Something surely wasn't right! Happy starts to walk off taking one of the items from the suitcase, but suddenly the previous guy bumps into him. "What are you doin', buddy? You out by yourself? A little date night? Watching your favorite chick flick maybe?" he asked.

"Yeah, a little movie called 'The Party's Over', starring you and your junkie girlfriend," he said "and here's the ticket." he shows him what he took from the other guy's briefcase.

"No kidding? That doesn't belong to you." said the weird guy and he goes to take the item from Hogan's hand, but Hogan punches him hard in the face. His face glowed red and healed. _Shit!_ The guy grabs hold of Hogan and with super strength throws him aside. As he walks towards Hogan, the other guy begins to glow red and turn super hot. "Savin!" he called. "Help! Help me!" he suddenly explodes, causing a massive explosion inside the theatre which wounds Hogan, as he lies injured. He watches Savin, also glowing red and then healing and walking off as if nothing has happened.

AT MIT

The incident of the Chinese theatre was all over the news. Everyone was worried. No place was safe. Ray sat in her regular cafe with Jane who was now frequently visiting her. She was worried as hell. It was long back at night when Tony had texted her telling her about Happy. _Happy was there in the Chinese Theatre. He is injured .I have to do something about it._ That's all what it said. Since then, Tony hadn't answered any call or text for Ray. Neither had Pepper! She knew her brother better than anyone else on earth. When he said 'I have to something about it', she knew he would probably end up doing something stupid without thinking about it!

"Ray, you have to calm down." Jane said as she continuously tried to call Tony. It was ridiculous! How could someone be so careless? She had called him about the 30th time now and he hadn't even replied ones! At least one text? He should know, she would be worried.

"No Jane. I can't! You don't know Tony. He's an idiot!" she said in frustration.

"Come on Ray! He is Iron Man. He can take care of himself!" she tried to assure.

"Yeah, he pretty well can. But the fact is, he doesn't!" she said trying to call Pepper again.

 _The Number you're calling is out of the reach at this moment. Please call again later._ She heard from the other end. "I need to know were Tony is at this moment."

Jane sighed and looked around the cafe then back to Ray. Wasn't it too much stress for a teenager to handle? Damn it was too much for any normal human to handel! She looked up at the TV that was showing the news at the moment. It showed Tony walk out from some hospital. It was muted, so Ray hadn't noticed it.

"Hey, I found your brother." She said motioning her to look at the TV. She turned around to look at it.

"Hey cafe guy!" she called the guy at the counter. "Turn on the volume." She said as he obeyed.

"Isn't that Rayne Stark?" someone mumbled but she didn't pay any attention to that.

"We're awaiting the arrival of Tony Stark. We're hoping he'll give us the reaction...his reaction to the latest attack." Said the blond reporter who was reporting live from the scene. As Tony walked out and all the reporters swarmed toward him. "Mr. Stark! Mr. Stark! Our sources are telling us that this is another Mandarin attack. Anything else you can tell us?" Tony preferred to ignore the questions and walks toward his car. _Good boy._ Mentally said as she watched him walk towards his white Audi. **(A/N: I think it was an Audi. I haven't checked it though.)**

"Hey, Mr. Stark! When is somebody gonna kill this guy? Just sayin'." Said a reporter all of a sudden. Tony stops and turns to face the reporter. He looked angry.

"Is that what you want?" he asked looking straight at him. "Here's a little Holiday greeting I've been wanting to send to the Mandarin. I just didn't know how to phrase it until now." He continued. Ray shifted uncomfortably on her hair. _What is he going to say now?!_ She mentally exclaimed. "My name is Tony Stark and I'm not afraid of you. I know you're a coward, so I've decided that you just died, pal. I'm gonna come get the body. There's no politics here; it's just good old-fashioned revenge. There's no Pentagon; it's just you and me. And on the off-chance you're a man, here's my home address: 10880, Malibu Port, 90265. I'll leave the door unlocked." He said taking off his sunglasses. He then snatched the phone from the reported and threw it against the wall."Bill me." He told him before getting into the car and driving off.

Ray sat there shocked for a moment. _What the fuck?!_ She mentally screamed. _How could someone do something so foolish?_ Suddenly she got up with a jerk, took her bag and started to walk off. "Ray!" Jane called. "Where are you going?"

"Home." She said not even looking at her.

AT MALIBU-CALIFORNIA

Ray was tired as she reached home. She had never used public airplanes before. But with Happy in the hospital and Tony not picking up his phone, who would send her a private jet? The house was under complete lockdown. Ray had to wait for Voila to open the door for her.

Tony on the other hand was working in his lab when JARVIS boomed. "Sir, Ms. Stark is here and she's walking up to the hall."

"What?" Tony said shocked. "What is she doing here?"

"Well I suppose she saw your interview on TV sir." JARVIS replied as Tony walked up.

Ray had just walked into the house and she stared at the huge bunny kept there. _Didn't I tell him to buy a normal gift for Pepper?_ She thought when Tony emerged from his garage. "You had to come home when I threatened the biggest terrorist of the world?" he asked as she turned around.

"Yeah, what the fuck was that?!" she said angrily. She couldn't believe that she was actually the younger one among them.

"You could have asked that to me on the phone."

"You aren't receiving my calls." She replied.

"You called?"

"42 times." She said as Tony took out his phone to check it.

"Oh sorry, it was muted." He said.

"Why the hell did JARVIS not tell you?"

"I...I was instructed that he didn't want to receive any calls, ma'am."

"Fucking nonsense!" she said, angry.

"I...I think I might be malfunctioning, sir."

"Ray you have to go back to MIT." Tony said, "Aaaa...and I am gonna employ someone as your bodyguard there."

"Absolutely not! You always mess up things here. I can't let Peppy handle you alone here."

"Ray, you don't understand. It's dangerous here."

"EXACTLY!"

AT THE GARAGE

"I've compiled a Mandarin database for you, sir. Drawn from S.H.I.E.L.D, F.B.I , and C.I.A. intercepts. Initiating virtual crime scene reconstruction." JARVIS said as Tony and Ray were in their lab researching on the Mandarin.

"I've got more." Ray said as Voila showed it on their virtual screen.

Tony starts looking at all the data gathered. "Where did you get these?"

"Secret files. All databases don't have access to these files. That's why JARVIS couldn't gain access to them.

"Hmm... I see." Tony mentally acknowledged Ray for her cunningness while hacking. He had to accept, when it was about hacking, Ray was far better than him and it was because of these pre-thinkings she did. Both of them started looking at the files, "Mandarin, mandarin, mandarin is an ancient Chinese war mantle, meaning 'advisor to the king'" Ray read as she read through the files. "South American insurgency tactics, talks like a Baptist preacher. There's lots of pageantry going on here...lots of theater." She said as she pushed the virtual information down to close. "Close." Tony was sitting on a high platform looking at the virtual crime scene reconstruction.

"The heat from the blast was in excess of 3000 degrees Celsius." Said JARVIS. "Any subjects within 12.5 yards were vaporized instantly."

"No bomb parts found in a three mile radius of the Chinese theater." Tony said.

Ray raised an eyebrow. "Just like the one in the coffee shop." She pointed out.

"The heat signatures of the bombing are remarkably similar." Voila said.

"Not a bombing V. It wasn't a bombing." Ray said.

"Still up with that theory?" Tony asked. He couldn't understand, how could a bomb explode without making a sound. "Do you think someone made some new kind of weapon?"

"I hope someone hasn't." Ray was sick of this weapon business.

" Talk to me, Happy." Ray said as she walked towards the virtual reconstruction of where Happy was lying. He was pointing his finger at some dog tag. "When is a bomb not a bomb?" she said picking up the virtual image of the dog tags to investigate them further. "When is a bomb not a bomb?" Tony echoed her looking at the readings on the particular bombing. "Any military victims?" he asked.

"Not according to public records, sir."

"Bring up the thermogenic signatures again, factor in three thousand degrees." He said as the virtual readings of different bombing came up startling Ray by the sudden change of light around her. "Don't freak me out like that." She said.

"What? Valkyre is scared?" Tony joked which only made Ray roll her eyes.

"The oracle cloud has completed analysis. Accessing satellites and plotting the last twelve months of thermogenic occurrence now." Voila said.

"Take away everywhere that there's been a Mandarin attack." he sees an attack in Rose Hill, Tennessee. "That. You sure that's not one of his?" he pointed out to Ray as she walked towards it.

"It predates any known Mandarin attack. The incident was the use of a bomb to assist a suicide." JARVIS said. Tony walked up beside Ray to have a look at it.

"The heat signature is remarkably similar." VOILA said.

"Three thousand degrees Celsius." Ray said as Tony looks at all the information being presented on the Tennessee attack.

"That's two military guys. Ever been to Tennessee, Jarvis?" Tony said.

"Creating a flight plan for one to Tennessee." JARVIS said.

"Two." Said Ray.

"What?"

"I'm coming with you."

"No you're not." Tony said.

"You can't decide that."

"Of course I can. I'm your big brother. I have a responcibility!"

"Says that one who just threatened a terrorist on live TV!"

"No Ray, you stay here, with Pepper. She needs someone around."

"Pepper is smart enough to take care of herself. You're not!"

"Ray no means a no!" Ray was about to reply when they hear the door bell ring.

"Are we still at "ding-dong"? We're supposed to be on total security lock down. Come on, I threatened a terrorist. Who is that?" Tony said.

"There's only so much I can do, sir, when you give the world's press your home address." JARVIS said as a footage of a woman standing outside their house pops up. Tony puts on his suit while Ray just walks up casually grabbing her jacket that Tony had given her in her last birthday, the one which was bulletproof and changed colour according to her body temperature. Her suit was in the basement, not ready yet. The glass doors are opened and she enters.

"Right there's fine."Tony in his Iron Man suit walks toward her. "You're not the Mandarin, are you? Are you?"

"You don't remember. Why am I not surprised?" she said.

"Don't take it personally, I don't remember what I had for breakfast." Tony said a Ray rolled her eyes. Surely she was some old 'one night stand' of his.

"Gluten-free waffles, sir." JARVIS said.

"That's right."

"Okay, look, I need to be alone with you. Someplace not here, it's urgent." She said.

"Ooh!" Ray said as Tony gave her a 'no comments' look.

"Normally, I'd go for that sort of thing, but now I'm in a committed relationship." He turns to walk into the living room, two bags are thrown down from the above balcony. "It's...with her."

"Tony, is somebody there?" Tony steps out of his suit.

"Yeah, it's Maya Hansen. Old botanist pal that I used to know, barely." He said as Maya smiles. He does remember her as Pepper starts walking downstairs, Tony moves towards Maya and speaks quietly. "Please don't tell me that there is a twelve year-old kid waiting in the car that I've never met."

"He's thirteen. And no, I need your help."

"What...what for? Why now?"

"Because I read the papers, and, frankly, I don't think you'll last the week."

"I'll be fine."

"Hey Peppy!" Ray greeted

"Ray, what are you doing here? Thank god you're here. Help me!" she said in one breath and then turned to Maya. "I'm sorry. With Happy in the hospital, I didn't know we were expecting guests."

"We weren't." Tony said.\

"No.., I..."

"And old girlfriends!" Ray said as Tony glared at her.

"She's not really." Tony turned to Pepper to justify himself.

"No, not really. It...it was just one night." Maya said.

"Yep." Tony agreed.

"That's how you did it, isn't it?" Pepper asked.

"It was a great night." Tony said.

"Well, you know..." Pepper turned to Maya.

"Yeah." Maya laughed a bit.

"You have saved yourself a world of pain."

"I'm sure."

"What?" Tony said.

"Trust me." Pepper said and then turned to Tony and Ray. "We're going out of town."

"Okay, we've been through this. Nope."

"See?" Pepper turned to Ray in frustration.

"The man says no." Tony said.

"I think she's right."

"What? No!" Tony exclaimed.

"Pepper has to be shifted somewhere safe."

"What? No, I'm not letting you both stay somewhere else." She said. "We're moving immediately and indefinitely!"

"Honey..."

"Great idea. Let's go. I'll..." Maya popped in.

"I'm sorry. That's a terrible idea. Please don't touch her bags." Tony said as Maya was about to pick her bags.

"Tony, this is how normal people behave." Pepper said.

"I can't protect you out there. I challenged..." Tony said as Ray sighed. She hated when they the couple would start arguing.

Maya notices giant stuffed rabbit Tony had bought for Pepper "Is...is that normal?"

"Yes, this is normal!" Tony snapped at her.

"Sadly, that...is very normal." Pepper said.

"It's a big bunny, relax about it!"

"Calm down!" Ray said but she was left unheard. It happened every time they started arguing.

"I got this for you."

"I'm aware of that."

"You still haven't even told me that you liked it!"

"I don't like it!" Pepper said. Tony shocked turned to Ray.

"What? I told you to buy a normal gift!"

"I asked you three... You don't like it?!" Tony and Pepper are bickering, Ray feels her ears burst again.

"Guys, can we um..." Maya says as she notices a bomb flying right towards the house.

"What?"

"Bomb!" Ray exclaimed. The house is suddenly hit, as everything explodes around them, Tony manages to get his Iron Man suit onto Pepper to protect her from the fall, Tony looks over to Maya, who's lying unconscious on the ground. Then he notices Ray who was stuck under some rubble. She still hadn't recovered from the shock. Tony noticed the ceiling just above her was about to collapse. "Ray!" he called and did the most foolish thing ever. Instead of helping her out hoverd over her and hugged her. Ray who was too shocked to react just dug her face into his chest waiting for the impact.

It never came.

When they opened their eyes they saw Pepper had covered them. "Do we need to worry about that?" Pepper said.

"I got you."

"I got you first."

"What the fuck do you think you were doing?" Ray asked totally freaked out.

"Saving you!" Tony said looking at her.

"You weren't saving me. You were just preparing to die with me!" she yelled.

"No..." Tony was about to sya something but was stopped by Pepper. "Stop!" she said.

"We have to get out of here." Tony said. A few helicopters starts shooting at the house. "Move!" Tony instructed Pepper as he got a tight grip of Ray's hand."We're right behind!" As they run to get out, the floor in front of Tony and Ray collapses, Pepper manages to get on the other side. "Get her, we're gonna find a way around." Tony said. Pepper hesitates. "Stop stopping! Get her, get outside! Go!" Pepper manages to grab Maya and use the Iron Man suit to get them safely out of the house, but the house gets further destroyed as the helicopters continue to fire on it. They dodge the bullet and Ray uses herself as a shield. Thank god she had grabbed her jacket. But the house begin to collapse and they tumble down as a bullet touched her thigh. "Aaah!" she almost fell off into the ocean but Tony grabbed her and pulled her closer to her.

"Sir, Miss Potts is clear of the structure." Tony motions for his Iron Man suit to come off Pepper and onto him. He gets up pand tries to fly but he couldn't. "Jarvis, where's my flight power?!"

"Working on it, sir. This is a prototype." Ray couldn't stand. He thigh was burning and bleeding. "You okay?" Tony asked.

"No."

Tony manages to use his suit to destroy one of the helicopters. "That's one." He said as Tony manages to get himself and Ray away from the bullets being fired at him from one of the remaining helicopters and again uses his suit to bring down the helicopter. "That's two." But this time the helicopter explodes it crashes into the house, the remaining helicopter continues on shooting at the house, finally the remains of house with Tony and Ray inside fall into the ocean. He gets a tight grip around his sister's waist.

Ray felt her lungs burn as water gushed into them. She struggled for air. She couldn't swim up as boulders were collapsing over them. Neither could Tony. She struggled before blacking out.

Tony starts to feel like he's drowning. He could breathe though. He was in the suit. He realised Ray was unconscious in his arms. JARVIS worked on the flight systems before saying "Sir, take a deep breath." The hand of the Iron Man suit pulls Tony and Ray out of the rubble. After a few moments the suit gets its flight power activated by Jarvis "Flight power restored." Finally Tony manages to fly out of the ocean with Ray.

"Filght destination Tennessee. Passenger, Mr. Stark. Ms Stark not included." Said JARVIS as the suit auto piloted as Tony had passed out inside it. It flew a little while before lowering on the edge of the ocean and dropping Ray and flying off.

 **Yay! I wrote a long chapter after a long time. It feels awesome. So I updated again. I think I am going to give one or two updates a week now. I'm quite busy here and I also have other fics.**

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 *******39 DAYS TO GO BEFORE INFINITY WAR*******

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 **Love you all!**

 **ImaginationsUnleashed**


	40. Chapter 40

**Chapter 40**

Ray woke up in rather an uncomfortable position, her left hand under her stomach. She was on the dry soil. Her dress was still wet and the dirt was sticking on her body. "Mmmm..." she tried to cry as her hand ached, her leg where the boulder had fallen pained too. The bullet! The bleeding had stopped but it ached like hell! She turned around on her back and looked up at the sky. She saw stars. _How long have I been here?_ She thought still lying down. Her body just couldn't gather the strength for the first few minutes to get up. Finally when she did, she felt cold. Her jacket was dark red indicating that her body temperature was lower than normal. _Where the fuck am I?_

She got up and pulled her jacket closer to her body. _Where's Tony?_ The thought struck her head and she looked around to see if she could see any iron clad guy lying around. No one. She pulled out her stark phone to see if it was working. Nope! It was soaked in water. _Next time I make a phone I'm gonna make it water proof._ She searched her pockets to see if she had something. Wow! All she was let with was a few notes and a number of coins in her pocket. She had let her clutch bag on the garage table which was now under the Pacific Ocean. _What should I do now?_ She thought as she walked in the dark on the road which at the moment was the only sign of civilization. She had no idea how long she had to trudge her feet.

WITH TONY

"Sir! Sir!" Tony heard the sound of the alarm as he had passed out in his Iron Man suit.

"Alright, kill the alarm. I got it." he said still not realising where he was.

"That's the emergency alert triggered by the power dropping below five percent." Said JARVIS as Tony notices that he's flying through the snow at night. "Aaaa!" he files from between the road and falls crashing into the ground in the middle of a forest. He takes off his face helmet as he lies on the ground trying hard to catch his breath. "It's snowing, right? Where are we, upstate?" he asked as he noticed his surroundings.

"We're five miles outside of Rose Hills, Tennessee." Replied JARVIS.

"What? And where's Ray."

"I dropped her on the bank of the Pacific, a few miles away from home."

"Why?! Jarvis! Not my idea! What are we doing here? This is thousands of miles away, I gotta get Pepper, I gotta get Ray..."

"I prepared a flight plan. This was the location."

"Who asked you? Open the suit." He snapped on the AI.

"I...I think I may be malfunctioning, sir." JARVIS fumbled with his words.

"Open, eject." Tony said as the suit gets off Tony and he sits up. "That's brisk!" he said feeling the cold weather. He picks up a piece of snow and put it on his arm where he had a bruise. "Maybe I'll just cozy back up for a bit."

"I actually think I need to sleep now, sir." JARVIS said as the suit lost power.

"Jarvis... Jarvis? Don't leave me, buddy." He said. Damn! What could he do without the suit?

Next, Tony dragged his suit. It was heavy thing to carry and with the cold weather and not to mention Tony's thin T-Shirt, it was getting harder for him walk. But he had to find some place where there was human habitation. He reached a petrol station where he takes off a poncho from a wooden statue and makes a call to a Stark server from a nearby booth. "Stark Secure Server: Now transferring to all known receivers." Said a feminine voice over the phone before connecting to all Stark places. "Ray, Pepper, whoever is receiving this, it's me." He said as his voice was recorded. "I've got a lot of apologies to make and not a lot of time. So first off, I'm so sorry I put you in harm's way. That was selfish and stupid and it won't happen again. Also, the rabbit's too big. Done. Ray, I should have taken your advice. Sorry. And I'm sorry in advance because...I can't come home yet. I need to find this guy. You gotta stay safe. Ray, I don't know where you are. I'm sorry JARVIS dropped you somewhere. So listen, you go back straight home. No running after me." _I know she wouldn't listen to me._ He thought and then continued. "That's all I know. I just stole a poncho from a wooden Indian."

WITH RAY

 _Fuck!_ She said for the 19th time as she trudged her feet. Finally she found a place where she saw people. But it wasn't a good place though. It was in the outskirts of the city and the people didn't look good at all. _Tony's gonna kill me if he knows that I'm here._ She needed to call back home to make let them know that she was safe. She found a phone booth and connected to the Stark server and left a message.

"Hey guys, its me..." she said, "I ...I don't know where I am but...but I'm safe and...and... yeah a little hurt. I don't know what 'm gonna do though. I...I ruined my boots, you know the ones I was really fond of. You owe me one, Tony. You're an idiot Tony... where are you?" she trailed. "You should have listened to us." She took a deep breath. "That's all I gotta say!" She had just ended the recording when the female voice of the Stark server spoke. "Voice identified. Rayne Stark. Welcome. You have one voice message." And her brother's message played. "Pepper or Ray..."

So Tony was in Tennessee. She had to go there. But it was miles away! First of course, she needed some food. She was starving! She walked out into a road side hotel. Well a bar to be more precise but exactly what she needed at the moment. She looked around. _Damn, these people don't look good!_ She mentally exclaimed before walking in.

WITH TONY

Tony drags the suit to an abandoned looking farmhouse, he places the suit on a couch and sits next to it. "Let's get you comfy." He places its hand by its side. "You happy now?" he talks to it as he turns the hear of the Iron Man towards the front and sits beside it with a thud to catch his breath.

He tries to fix the micro-repeater implants in his arm with the things he found in the farmhouse when a boy stands by the doorway and points a potato gun at him. "Freeze! Don't move."

"You got me." Tony raises his hand in and plays along acting to surrender to him. "Nice potato gun." He added. "Barrel's a little long. Between that and the wide gauge, it's gonna diminish your FPS." the boy points his gun at a glass on a shelf and shoots at it, breaking the glass. "And now you're out of ammo." He added.

"What's that thing on your chest?" asked the boy. He wasn't older than 11 or 12.

"It's an electromagnet. You should know, you've got a box of them right here."Tony pointed at the box on the desk.

"What does it power?" he asked curiously as Tony stands and points the desk light at his suit sitting on the couch behind him. "Oh my God!" the boy exclaimed and drops his toy gun and takes a step towards Tony. "That...that's... Is that Iron Man?" he said in awe.

"Technically, I am."

"Technically, you're dead." he gives Tony a newspaper which has Tony's and Ray's picture with the headline 'Mandarin Attack: Stark siblings presumed dead'. He flinced. He knew Ray wasn't dead but she wasn't well either. She had a leg that got crushed under a heavy boulder and a bullet wound on the other. Fuck, he should have been with his family at this moment. "A valid point." He said.

"What happened to him?" asked the kid referring to the Iron Man suit.

"Life!" he said, "I built him, I'll fix him"

"Like a mechanic?"

"Yeah."

"Oh. If I was building Iron Man and War Machine..." exclaimed the kid,

"It's Iron Patriot now." Tony cut him off.

"That's way cooler!"

"No, it's not."

"Anyways, I would have added in um... the retro..." he fumbled.

"Retroreflective panels?" Tony asked.

"To make him stealth mode."

"You want a stealth mode?"

"Cool, right?"

"That's actually a good idea. Maybe I'll build one."

As the kid touches the suit, he accidentally snaps off one of its fingers. "Oops!" he exclaimed looking at Tony.

"Not a good idea! What are you doing? You're gonna break his finger? He's in pain, he's been injured. Leave him alone." He said dramatically.

"Sorry."

"Are you? Don't worry about it, I'll fix it. So, uh, who's home?"

"Well, my mom already left for the diner and dad went to 7-Eleven to get scratchers. I guess he won, 'cause that was six years ago."

"Mm... Which happens, dads leave. No need to be a pussy about it. Here's what I need: a laptop, a digital watch, a cell phone, the pneumatic actuator from your bazooka over there, a map of town, a big spring, and a tuna fish sandwich." He said as if he was talking to some older guy.

"What's in it for me?"

"Salvation!" he exclaimed and then looked at the kid. "What's his name?"

"Who?"

"The kid that bullies you at school, what's his name?"

"How'd you know that?"

"I got just the thing."he opens a compartment on the suit and takes out a metal object. "This is a pinata for a cricket. I'm kidding, it's a very powerful weapon. Point it away from your face, press the button on top. It discourages bullying. Non-lethal, just to cover one's ass." He said. Harley reaches out to take it, but Tony pulls his hand away. "Deal? Deal? What'd you say?"

"Deal."

"Deal!" Tony gives the object to him. "What's your name?"

"Harley. And you're..."

"The mechanic, Tony" he looks at Harley for a moment. "You know what keeps going through my head? Where's my sandwich?" he was hungry.

WITH RAY

Ray was sitting on a corner table when a guy came. "Mind if I?" he said. Ray ignored. "I take that as yes." He said sitting on the chair in front of her. "I'm James." He said offering his hand to shake. Ray looked at his hand then at his face and then continued munching on whatever she was eating. She put her left hand in her pocket to check if she still had the paralyser in her there. **(A/N: Remember? The one Tony gave her after he returned from Afganistan?)** That has always been her last resort for self defence and so far has never shown a glitch in its performance issues. "You're hard. But all chicks melt, some just take time!" She rolled her eyes. Why the hell did she had to end up here? "I'm a mechanic. I repaire cars. I have lot of them in my garage." He said making Ray look at him in excitement. That's exactly what she needed! A car! James though thought she was wanting to go out with him. He smiled in a way Ray didn't approve but who cared at this moment! "I've got bugatti veyron waiting just for you. I wouldn't mind if you want a ride!"

Ray looked at him with a smile. "Cars hunh? Sounds like fun." She said.

"I can let you drive, if you want."

"That's sweet." she said getting up, wiping her face with a tissue. "So when are we going."

"Now."

TIME JUMP

Ray walked in the garage which was quite empty. _Ooh! I'm gonna regret this!_ She mentally said. She didn't want to walk into an empty place with a weird looking drunk guy. She gripped on her paralyser tightly. Here's the car." He said opening the door for her.

"I thought you said you'll let me drive?" she asked with a smile on her face. Who was better than giving a fake smile better than the Starks?

"Yeah sure." He said bringing the keys near her hand. She was about to grab it when he pulled it away. "But first you have to make happy..." he said with a sly smile.

"Ho w do I do that?" she said raising her eyebrow. _Fuck you!_ she mentally said.

"How about you love me a bit?" he asked coming closer to her.

"In your dreams fucker!" she said pushing him away.

"What do you mean?" he asked sounding angry.

"I said, don't even try to come near me. I would never give into you."

"So I had been wasting my time on you?"

"Pretty much. But I haven't!"

"What do you mean?"

"I need a car."

"I wouldn't give it to you for nothing!" he said pushing her on her back on the car trying to push her hands into her shirt. "Get off me!" she said pushing him and hitting him with the paralyser. She was ready for anything like that. He fell on the floor. "What was that?" he asked as he gasped for breath.

"I said I need a car."

"Hey what's going on?" someone screamed from the other end.

"I need a car." She repeated as the man approached. He didn't seemed surprised that there was a comossion in the shop though he wide eyes stared wondering what the guy, who was probably his partner doing on the floor. "Well, these are rented and I we don't take money afterwards and you need to sign an agreement that you have taken our car and you are responsible for any damage that may happen to it.

"I don't have cash." Ray sighed. "Will this do, as rent? I can pay you later if it isn't."

His eyes went wide again "It's...It's enough." He said handing her a booklet where she had to sign. She did it and the man was about to give her the keys when he noticed her signature. _R. Stark._ It said. "Oh my god!" he exclaimed.

"What?" Ray asked. She wasn't ready for another drama.

The man switched on the brighter lights. "I know you! You're...you're Valkyre!" he exclaimed quite excitedly.

"Yeah" Ray replied.

"What?" exclaimed the other guy. Ray didn't pay any attention to him though.

"I'm a huge fan." He said as Ray smiled. Then he offered her watch back to her. "I can't take this from you." he said.

"What? Look, I really don't have cash at this moment and I seriously need the car..."

"No! No! No!" he said, "I can't 'cause I owe you my life. You can keep the car for as long as you want. It would be an honour for me to help you." he forced her to take it in her hands. "Please." He insisted.

"You really can take it."

"Nope!" he said stern in his decision.

Ray was about to leave in the car when she called the guy. "Hey!" she said. "What's your name?"

"Larry." He replied.

"You can't tell anyone that I'm alive, alright? I can trust you in this right Larry?"

"Yeah. I'll make sure even he doesn't spill out anything."

"Thanks." She said driving off.

 **Yay! I finished chapter 40. I can't believe we came so far with this. The credit goes to you all the readers and followers. You inspire me to write more. So THANK YOU ALL!**

 **Do review 'cause they light me up.**

 **And here is the countdown**

 *******32 DAYS TO GO BEFORE INFINITY WAR*******

 **Bye till the next update. I think you're gonna get it soon 'cause I feel like writing another chapter. So stick with me!**

 **ImaginationsUnleashed**


	41. Chapter 41

**See? Told you all that I would be back with an update soon! Go on! Read!**

 **Chapter 41**

"The sandwich was fair, the spring was a little rusty, the rest of the materials, I'll make do." Tony said as he and Harley walked on the road. "By the way, when you said your sister had a watch, I was kinda hoping for something a little more than that." he pulls his sleeve up and we see he's wearing a little girl's Dora the Explorer pink watch.

"She's six! Anyway, it's limited edition." Harley replied laughing. "When can we talk about New York?" he asked.

"Maybe never, relax about it." Tony replied quite irritated at the question.

"What about The Avengers, can you talk about them?"

"I don't know, later. Hey kid, give me a little space." they stop and Tony looks at the remains of the local explosion site that he came to investigate. "What's the official story here? What happened?"

"I guess this guy named Chad Davis, used to live roundabouts, won a bunch of medals in the army. One day, folks said he went crazy and made, you know, a bomb." Harley explained. "Then he blew himself up right here." He said as Tony looks around at the remains.

"Six people died, right?"

"Yeah."

"Including Chad Davis?"

"Yeah."

" Yeah. That doesn't make sense." he sits next to Harley. "Think about it. Six dead, only five shadows."

"Yeah, people said these shadows are like the mark of souls gone to Heaven. Except the bomb guy, he went to Hell on account of he didn't get a shadow. That's why there's only five."

"Do you buy that?"

"That's what everyone says." Harley replied. After a few seconds he spoke up again. "You know what this crater reminds me of?"

"No idea. I'm not...I don't care."

"That giant wormhole, in um...in New York. Does it remind you?"

"That's manipulative. I don't want to talk about it." Tony honestly said.

"Are they coming back? The aliens?" Harley continued not realising that Tony wasn't feeling good about the conversation.

"Maybe. Can you stop? Remember when I told you, that I have an anxiety issue?"

"Does this subject make you...make you edgy?"

"Yeah, a little bit. Can I just catch my breath for a second?"

"Are there bad guys in Rose Hills?" he asked and then when he realised that he was panicking he stopped talking about the bad guys. He rather asked, "Do you...do you need a plastic bag to breathe into? Do you have medication?"

"Nope."

"Do you need to be on it?"

"Probably."

"Do you have PTSD?"

"I don't think so."

"Are you...are you going completely mental? I can stop, do you want me to stop? Do you want me to stop?"

"Remember when I said to stop doing that? I swear to God, you're going to freak me out!" Tony snapped breathing heavily then looking agitated, he suddenly rises up and starts to other direction. "Ah man, you did it, didn't you? You happy now?"

"What did I say?"Tony starts running off and Harley runs after him. "Hey, wait up! Wait, wait."

WITH RAY

Ray drove the car she had rented. She mentally made up her mind to send a thank you present to Larry for being so generous. She was quite disturbed with the incidents that took place recently. _Why is it always us?_ She mentally kept on saying. She was attacked, her friends almost died, then Happy gets to the hospital and then this! Her life felt like a bundle of miseries.

She drove faster than her normal speed. It was more subconsciously. She had been so lost in her thoughts that she didn't even realise that she should slow down a bit. Of course she didn't want to be caught for driving without licence again, specially now.

She had reached Rose Hill. Her back ached. She had been driving continuously for 4 hours, which she had never done before. She wasn't paying much attention to the streets when someone came running in front of her car. She presses the hydraulic breaks so hard that they might be completely worn out by friction. Seriously, someone had to choose her car to bump into today? She almost prayed that she hadn't killed him.

"Hey! What do you think you were doing?" she snapped as she got out of the car. She found the man sitting in front applying snow on his face as he breathed heavily. "Can't you walk? Are you drunk..." she was about to say as she kneeled down t see him, only to realise it was her very own brother. "Tony?"

"Ray? Hey!" he said taking short but deep breaths. "What are you...*gasp*...hey...*gasp*...good to see you." he said as he gave her a hug and calmed down his breath.

"Wow...that was warm." She said.

"Hey, I'm sure I didn't hit you?" she said placing a hand on his shoulder as Tony nodded assuring her that he was fine. "Why are you gasping? Did someone chase you?" she asked, but she didn't have to wait to see who was chasing him as she saw a kid approach him."Your fault, you spazzed me out." He said throwing a snow ball at him as the kid smiled. Then he looked at Ray. "Rayne Stark!" he exclaimed.

"Alright, keep that low." Tony said reminding him that they were under cover.

"I knew you weren't dead!" he exclaimed.

"Yeah, you knew 'cause I told you!" Tony butted in throwing a snowball at him again. Ray, on the other hand, who had no idea what was happening kept staring for a moment before she spoke up. "What the hell just happened?"

"Nothing." Tony said but the id beat him by a second. "He had an anxiety attack."

"Anxiety?" she was shocked. She never knew about it!

"Yeah, the one he has since New York." Ray accusingly looked at Tony. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"Because he didn't want you to be worried." The kid added. She looked at Harley then at Tony and then back to Harley when the realisation struck her. "Who the hell are you?"

"Ooh!" the kid exclaimed before continuing. "You may not know me, but I know you. you're Rayne Stark."

"I'm aware of that, kid."

"I'm Harley. I live here in Rose Hill with my mom and little sister. And I am assisting Mr. Stark in his conquest against the bad guys. Let me tell you, I am your biggest fan!"

"Woah!" Tony exclaimed, "And you confronted me with a potato gun?"

"Had to make sure if it was really you." he said.

"He's got a point." Ray said then turned to Harley. "Thank for assisting him, Harley."

Harley blushed as Ray looked at her. She did find the kid to be cute. "He was just showing me the bomb site." Tony said in his defence and then turned to Harley. "Okay, back to business. Where were we? The guy who died...relatives? Mom? Mrs. Davis, where is she?"

"Where she always is."

TIME JUMP

Ray and Tony walked towards the bar. In their disguise (marvel style which includes a baseball cap and glasses), anyone could mistake them as couples rather than siblings. "How's your leg?" Tony asked knowing very well it was hurt.

"I can walk." She replied though it was paining. But it wasn't broken as such, she was sure about that!

"And the other one?"

Ray turned back to touch the place where the bullet had caused a little wound. Tony touched the place to realise that it had been bleeding ones which ad now stopped and that the leather was now torn, revealing the wound. "Need to get a band-aid and a jeans for you." he said as they went inside the bar. They walked past a few tables to find Mrs. Davis sitting there. "Mrs. Davis, mind if we join you?" asked Tony.

"Free country." She agreed readily.

"It sure is." Said Ray as they sat down in front of her. Mrs. Davis looks at Tony then at Ray for a moment before speaking. "Alright. Where'd you like to start?"

"I just want to say we're sorry about your loss. I want to know what you think happened."

"Look, I brought your damn file. You take it and go." she drops the file in front of them. "Whatever was in here, he wanted no part of it." Tony opens the file as Ray peeps in. "Clearly, you're waiting for someone else. Yeah? Supposed to meet somebody here?"Ray said.

"Yeah." She replied looking shocked. Tony looks at the file again and notices a photo of Taggart next to the photo of Chad. He pokes Ray and shows it to her. "Mrs. Davis, your son didn't kill himself, I guarantee you. He didn't kill anyone. Someone used him." Tony said.

"What?"

"As a weapon."

"You're not the person who called me after all, are you?" she asked. Suddenly a cell phone is slammed on their table. "Actually, I am." Said the girl with the weird burn mark on her face whom Tony previously bumped into. Then suddenly she grabs hold of Tony's arm and twists it, slamming his head onto the table and points her gun at Ray. "Don't move, or I'll shoot you." she said. Tony manages to quickly grab hold of Chad's dog tags that were on the table. "Hey, hey, hey! What's all this about? What the hell's going on here?" asked the sheriff who was present there.

"It's called an arrest." she pushes Tony to the ground and steps towards the Sheriff. "Sheriff, is it?"

"Homeland security." She says holding a badge. "We good here?"

Meanwhile Ray gestures to Mrs. Davis to hide the file and she pushes it under the bar.

"No, we're not good. I need a little more information than that." Said the sheriff.

"Well, I think it's a little above your pay grade, Sheriff."

"Yeah, well, why don't you get on the horn to Nashville and uh...upgrade me?"

"Alright, you know what? I was hoping to do this the smart way, but uh...the fun way's always good." She says with a complete change in tine. Ray and Tony notices her hand turning red hot, burning and melting the badge in her hand as their eyes went wide. _What the fuck!_

"Deputy, get this woman and... " the sheriff was about to speak in his intercom when suddenly she shoves the hot badge into the Sheriff's face, she takes his gun and shoots him, Tony runs out of the bar and Brandt follows him, giving Ray the time to get the file. Ray reaches for the file and follows them.

"Hey hot wings, you wanna party? You and me, let's go." Tony teases her to distract her and as he turns to run he sees another guy from the file, getting out of his car. Savin gets his gun out to shoot at him but Harley throws something at Savin to make him miss Tony, Ray pulled Tony, who was still handcuffed, stops behind a car and sees a man hiding low on the ground. "Crazy, huh?" Tony asked.

"Yeah."

"Watch this." He says as he smashes into the window of a shop falling on the floor as Ray helped him up on his feet again. As they went inside the weird woman followed them closely. They get inside a room and as Ray started a fire near its door. "You walked right into this one, I've dated hotter chicks than you." Tony tempts her to come in through the fire knowing very well she would become really hot if she walked into it. He puts Chad's dog tags into the microwave turns it on while Ray opens the gas pipe letting it leak.

"That's all you got? Cheap trick and a cheesy one-liner?" said she as she walked into the fire, red hot, burning like lava. Ray just stood there staring straight at her in awe. What the hell was she? She even forgot that she had to run. Tony realising that his sister was awe struck grabbed her hand and pulled her. "Sweetheart, that could be the name of my autobiography." He says in the process as he quickly leaves through the back door with Ray and both of them hide behind it, as the dog tags heat up in the microwave they start sparking up fire, the freak realizes the gas has been left on and suddenly the shop explodes killing her. As they walked, stumbled they hear a sound and turn to realise that Savin had melted the leg of the water reservoir. Both Tony and Ray ran to grab onto something but all they found was a weak wire fence. It snapped and toppled as the water washed everything. Both of them were stuck under debris. They try to get out when they heard Harley shout "Let me go!" Savin had grabbed Harley. "Let me go!" he mocked him making him sit on his lap. "Hey kid, what would you like for Christmas?"

"Mr. Stark, I am so sorry!" Harley said.

"Oh. No, no. I think he was trying to say 'I want my god damn file'!" Savin exclaimed.

"Its okay, not your fault kid." Tony said trying to calm him down. "Remember what I told you about bullies?" he said referring to something that Ray didn't know about but Harley realises the reference and he takes breath before hitting him with the device Tony had given him.

"You like that, west world?" Tony said then looked at Ray to see if she was ready. "That's the thing about smart guys. We always cover our asses." He said as Ray hit him with the Iron Man blaster Tony had given her to use. She threw it as it was too hot and then leaned back. Her leg was now hurting pretty bad.

Tony used a rod to free himself from the rubble and then helped Ray out. "You okay?" he asked as Ray nodded trying to walk but as soon as she put pressure on her leg she fell over Tony. "Yeah, sure about that!"" he said in a sarcastic tone.

Tony gets Savin's car keys as Ray's car was now destroyed and were walking towards the car when Harley came beside them. "You're welcome." He said.

"For what? Did I miss something?" Tony asked.

"Yeah, me saving your life."

"Yeah" said Tony as he continued "A:Saved you first, B: Thanks sort of and C: If you do someone a solid don't be yutz alright? Just play it cool otherwise you come off grandiose." He said making Ray roll her eyes.

"Unlike you? Admit it, you need me. We're connected." He said as Ray and Tony got into the car. This time Tony was in the driving seat.

"What I need for you is to go home keep your trap shut, guard the suit and stay connected in the phone, because if I call, you better pick up. We're done here. Move out of the way or I'm gonna run you over. Bye kid." He shut the door only to find Ray glaring at him.

"What? You like the kid so much?" he asked but Ray kept her face stern. "Okay okay." Tony said lowering the window then looking at Harley. "I'm sorry kid. You did god."

"So you're gonna leave me here like my dad?" he said faking a sad face.

"Yeah." He said paused for a moment before the realisation struck him. "Wait, you're guilt tripping me, aren't you?"

Harley starts to play with Tony's sympathies. "I'm cold." He said in his last efforts making Ray laugh.

"I can tell." Tony said mimicking his tone. "You know how I can tell? 'Cause we're connected."

 **So here is Chapter 41. Its 2o' clock at night here and I assure you I am not Ray or Tony, so I can't stay awake any longer. I am too tired so I'm not going to write a long author's note. Just jumping to the count down.**

 *******31 DAYS TO GO BEFORE INFINITY WAR AND I AM SCREAMING*******

 **Bye till then.**

 **ImaginationdUnleashed**


	42. Chapter 42

Chapter 42

Tony drove the car as Ray sat with her injured leg lifted near the windscreen, flipping through the file on the terrorists. She flipped the page that the 'MIA' printed on the page was actually 'AIM'. It was the imprint on the other end of the page. "You know this 'MIA' is actually 'AIM'" Ray said.

"What?" Tony said taking the page from her hand and having a look at it.

"What's AIM?" Ray asked.

"It's the brand that redesigned Rhodey's suit."

"That's doesn't sound good." Ray said. "We need to call Rhodes."

Tony made the call and connected it to the speakers of the car. "Hello." The very familiar voicec sounded after a few rings.

"Did you ever have a chick strandling you and you look up and suddenly she's glowing from inside out, kind of bright orange?" he asked without any intro.

"Yeah, I've had that. Who is this?" he asked sounding confused.

"It's me pal." He said with a smile. "Now last time I went missing , if I remember correctly, you came looking for me. This time it's my sister too. What are you doing?"

"A little knocking, talking, making friends in Pakistan. What are you doing? Is Ray there with you?"

"Hey Rhodes!" Ray greeted.

"Hi!"he replied. "Glad you're fine."

"Didn't say that to me." Tony popped in a sing-song tone. Ray could literally imagine Rhodes rolling his eyes from the other end.

"Oh come on! Get to the point. I'm a little busy here."

"Your redesign, your big re-brand, that was AIM right?"

"Yeah."

"I'm gonna find a heavy comsat right now. I need your log in."

"Same as its always been, WarMachine68."

"And password please?"

"Well, look, I gotta change it everytime you hack it Tony."

"It's not 80s. No one says hack anymore. Give me the log in!"

"War Machine Rox with an X, all caps." He said as Ray cracked a laugh. So did Tony. "Yeah, okay."

"That's so much better than Iron Patriot." Ray said.

TIME JUMP

Ray and Tony managed to get in a television beauty peagent and got inside a van that was broadcasting the show live on TV. Ray quickly switched on the computer to login but the connection was fluctuating. Tony sat besde her peeped into the screen. Suddenly the owner of the van opened who was talking on the phone opened the door. "Excuse me sir, I don't know who..." he was about to say but stopped mid sentence when Tony turned towards him. "Sssh!" Tony told him not to make any noise.

"Mom, I need to call you later something magical is happening." He said and turned at him and Ray with his mouth open in shock. "Tony Stark and Ray Stark are in my van."

"Keep it down." Ray said still looking at the screen.

"Tony Stark and Ray Stark are in my van." He said again.

"No they are not!" Tony said. "Come on in and close the door." He obeyed.

He almost squeeled like a teenager. "Can I say, sir, ma'am..."

"Yeah"

"I'm your greatest fan." He said gesturing the whole of them.

"Alrigt, whats your name?"

"Gary." He shook hands.

"Okay, first, is this your van? Is someone gonna come in?" Tony asked coming to the point.

"No no no, It's just us."

"Yeah."

"I don't know if you can tell but..." he pointed at himself, "...I have like patterned my whole look after you."

"I think the kid was better." Ray whispered. Tony didn't pay any attention as he looks at him as he removes his cap to show him his hair.

"My hair's a little...not right."

"It's fine."

"Because there's a bo product in it." He added.

"Right." Tony said. Ray stared at her brother. Damn, he was being really calm! She was actually impressed.

"I don't wanna make things awkward..." he said .

"No you're not!"

"But...I do have to show you...boom!" he said rolling up his sleeve to reveal a tattoo.

"A Hispanic Scott Baio." Tony commented making Ray laugh. Tony turned towards her and gave her a 'What-is-so-funny?' look. "That's you shell head." She said still laughing.

"Oh really?" he said taking a look at him.

"Yeah...its uuh...I mean...I had them made it of a doll I made of you, so it not like it's of a picture. So I... Its a bit..." he fumbled with words when Tony held him by his shoulders. "Jerry, Listen." He said. Ray roled her eyes. He had already forgotten his name! "I dot wanna clip your wings here, we're both a little over excited." He said. Ray smiled.

"I got an issue. I'm chasing bad guys, trying to grapple with something from some hard crypt data files. I need you to jump on the roof and recalibrate the ISDNs, pump it up to 40%."

"Got it." He said.

"Gary needs Tony. Tony needs Gary." Tony added.

"Yeah." He said getting out.

"Pretty fanboy, hunh?"Ray smirked.

"Oh come on!" Tony said.

Gary pumped the ISDNs by 40% as Tony asked him to do and he knocked the van's wall to let them know as they logged into AIM's sseeveri with Rhodey's logins. "Come on. Give me the controls." Tony mumbled playing a video of Chad Davis being interrogated by Killian.

"Who's this?" asked Ray.

"Killian, Aldrich Killian." he said. Ray turned at him wondering how he knew him but found him looking at the video really attentively. She turned back at the screen. He played another video where the interview of the freak girl who attacked them earlier was taken. Astonishingly, she didn't have a left hand. Then there was a video where Killian was giving a speech to a few injured soldiers. "Ones unfit, cripples today you are the next iteration of human evolution." The next video labeled 'Project Extremists : Phase 1' was the one where the same soldiers were given some kind of treatment. Suddenly one starts glowing red hot, orange. "Get them out of here!" Killian screamed and as soon as they got out the man bursted.

"Told you. It wasn't a bomb." Ray said looking quite shocked.

《TIME JUMP》

Ray and Tony drove back. Ray had opened her boots and placed her legs on the seat. Her injured leg looked really bad. It was purple and swollen a bit.

Tony drove silently and it was obvious to Ray that something was going on in his mind. "So are you gonna tell me?" she asked putting one leg down so that she could turn towards him.

"What?" he asked. His eyes at the road.

"What is the thing that you know and I don't?"

"It's a really long story." He clearly was trying to ignore it.

"Long way too!" she said. She wasn't letting go of him so easily.

Tony sighed. He knew he had to tell her, of course because it was also her house that got that got destroyed and this had got her into a lot of trouble too. "You remember when I went o Switzerland in 2009, on New Year eve and you were really angry on me?"

"Yeah I am still angry on you." she said.

Tony didn't reply to that. "Yeah, sure." He just said before continuing. "We create our own demons." He sighed loudly. "Who said that? What does it even mean? Doesn't matter. I said it 'cause he said it now it basically got said by two well known guys. I don't uh..." he trailed and stopped the car with a jerk. Ray realising that he was diverting from the topic said. "Tony come to the point, take this the easy way. Track this from the beginning."

FLASHBACK : SWITZERLAND, BERNS, 2009

"Ray honey, I'm so sorry. I can't come home and I regret that!" he said. He was drunk. People could smell alcohol when they passed by him.

"Its New Year eve and I'm alone at home!" she complained. "With this boring lady." She added referring to her nanny. She hated this woman who tried to bass her around. The lady on the other hand did quite the same and couldn't stand the attitude of the nine year old.

"I know. I know. But this is important. You think I'd be wasting my time in this shit if it wasn't."

"Shut up! I know you must be hanging out with one of those girls!" she knew him too well.

Tony shocked and turned to Maya for ones gave her a look. "Did you tell my sister that you're with me?" he asked. Drunk indeed!

Ray rolled her eyes! "See I knew it!" she shouted.

"Hey! Hey! I promise I'll be back by tomorrow and I'll bring you a gift. I promise!" he said.

"I don't want your gift. I want you!" she insisted. "It's like I'm stuck in hell!"

"How do you know what actual hell looks like, hunh?" he teasingly asked. He actually was astonished that how a nine year old could be so irritated. Other kids need nothing other than a TV set to pass their time. But Ray, she needed a new thing to interest her every half an hour. Tony then laughed realising he himself was the reason behind that.

"Shut up!" she grumbled.

"Alright kiddo, its way past your bed time. Listen to your nanny and go to bed."

"I am not listening to that creep!"

Tony laughed again. He knew that the nanny must be listening to her and he could literally imagine her pained expression while she tried to handle the kid. "Okay then don't listen to her. Just go to bed."

"Why are you ruining my new year?"

"Munchkin, please!"

"Don't you dare MUNCHKIN me!" he said angrily as she hung the line. Tony sighed. He had a task of making up with his sister when he went home! He turned to Maya. Maya Hansen, a gifted scientist, much like Tony himself. She wanted to show him her research work.

FLASHBACK DISCONTINUED

"It started in Berns, Switzerland, 2009, the old days!" Tony exclaimed. "I never thought they would come back to bite me. Why would they?" Ray seated herself in a more comfortable position attentively listening to Tony.

FLASHBACK CONTINUED

Both Maya and Tony walk into the elevator where a weird looking blonde guy approached him. Killian! "I'm a big fan of your work."

"My work?" asked Maya.

"Who isn't? She needs me." Tony said not really paying any attention to him.

"Yeah, of course. But Miss Hansen my organisation has been tracking your work since year two of MIT."

"We're full." Happy said blocking the elevator door so that he couldn't bother them but he ducks and manages to enter.

"I have a proposal." He said. "I'm putting together myself. It's a privately funded think tank called Advanced Idea Mechanic-AIM."

"Okay." Said Maya.

"Yeah, I can see that cause it's on your T-shirt." Tony said in a very taunting tone but he didn't seem to realise that instead he advanced two business cards towards them.

"Uuuh... she'll take both, one to throw away and one not to call." Tony said. He doesn't like being handed stuff.

They elevator stops and ladies walk out followed by Happy and then Maya. "Hey." Tony stopped Killian. "I am titillated by the idea of working with you." He said.

"Yeah?"

"Yeah, I'm gonna ditch these clowns and show up on the roof in five minutes." He said. "I'm just going to get my beef wet real quick." Aldrich nodded. "I'll see you up there!"

"Damn betcha. Come on! I thought that was just a theory." Tony said as he looked at Maya's research.

" Well, it was. If I'm right, we can access the area of the brain that governs repair."

"Wow." Tony said. I was rare The Tony Stark got impressed.

"And chemically recode it." Maya added.

"That's incredible. Essentially you're hacking into the genetic operating system of an organism."

" Exactly. Yes."

"Wow."

Hogan touches Maya's plant which was kept in a cool atmosphere. "Can you not touch my plant? It's not...she doesn't like it. She prefers..."

"She's not like the others." Tony said

"Interference is better." Maya turned her attention back to Tony.

"Come on. Let's go in the bedroom." Tony said.

"That's cute, but..."

"Happy, leave her ficus alone." Tony said. Maya turns to Hogan "No, seriously don't." She said but Happy tears a few leaves and throws it away.

"So you're starting with plants?" Tony asked as they walked into the bedroom.

"For now, yeah. I'm calling it Extremis."

"Well, it's...human application..." Maya was about to say but Tony cut her. "Human application!"

"Exactly! Exactly. It's dentra-degree vitalization."

"It's revolutionary." Tony commented.

"Disease prevention..."

"It can change the world." He really was impressed.

" Even limb regrowth." She added.

"You're the most gifted woman I've ever met." Tony said looking at her.

"Wow!" she said. Not everyone gets praised by the Tony Stark!

"Uh...in Switzerland." Tony managed to add.

"Mm, that's better."

"You're sweet."

"Wow, you're seeing things." Maya takes off Tony's glasses, Tony laughs. "You almost bought it, didn't you?" She wears Tony's glasses and smiles at him, as they start to kiss, Hogan starts closing the bedroom door, suddenly they are interrupted by a loud explosion.

"This is what I'm talking about, the glitch."she said.

"Have you checked the telomerized algorithm?"

"The what?"

Tony was about to explain what he said when Happy runs into the room and tackles Tony onto the bed to make sure he's okay. "We're good." Tony said.

"Stay down." He said.

"You're...you're right on me. I made it." Tony told him as he gets off him.

" What was that?" he asked.

"It's a glitch in my work..." she explained

"Look, she was just talking about glitches happening." Tony assured him.

"It's not Y2K?"

"No."

Tony hears people celebrating outside. "Hey!" he exclaimed. "Happy New Year!" he said shaking his hand.

"Happy New Year."

"Alright, I'll see you in the mornin'." Tony said asking Happy to get out.

"You good?" Happy asked ones again.

" Yep." he asaured.

" I'll be right outside." he said.

"Okay." Tony said as Happy walked out. "And Happy!" he called him back. "Text Ray for me." he said as Happy nodded.

《END OF FLASHBACK》

"So why am I telling you this? Because I had just created demons, and I didn't even know it." he said. "Yeah, those were the good times." he smiled."Then I moved on. After a brief soiree in an Afghan cave, as you know, I said goodbye to the party scene. Forgot that night in Switzerland. These days I'm a changed man, I'm different now. I'm well...you know who I am." he shrugged and then looked at Ray. She was quite and Tony felt unusual. "Sooooooo..." she said after the longest pause ever. "These guys have something personal with you?" she said.

"Yeah. I guess so. And this Killian guy had came to Pepper, she used to work with him." he said.

"That's bad." Ray said as Tony nodded. SSuddenlya realisation struck Ray. "Wait a minute!" she exclaimed. "Happy had sent that text?!"

 **I am so sorry, I haven't been updating. But I am going to try to update sooner this time. I'll try my best. Actually I was so stuck with my other fics, I didn't get time for this. But no more neglecting. I'll be updating as regularly as possible**

 **Bye till then.**

 **ImaginationsUnleashed**


	43. Chapter 43

**Chapter 43**

Ray called Harley as Tony drove the car. "Harley, tell me what's happening. Give me full report." She said putting the phone on speaker so that Tony could hear to him too.

"Yeah," he said, "I'm still eating the candy, do you want...do you want me to keep eating it?" he asked.

"How much did you have?" asked Ray.

"Two or three bowls."

"Can you still see straight?"

"Sort off."

"That means you're fine. Give me JARVIS." She said. "JARVIS, how are we?" she asked.

"It's totally fine ma'am. I tried to connect to Voila but the internet speed here is unexpectedly slow. But I'll try to give the commands that the Valkyre suits are prepared for use and Mr. Stark was right, ones I factored in available Aim download link facilities, I was able to pin point the Mandarin's broadcast signal."

"What are we talking? Far East, Europe, North America, Iran, Pakistan, Syria, where is it?" asked Ray. Tony sat up straight to listen.

"Actually ma'am, its Miami." JARVIS said making Ray flinch.

"See, this is why I prefer Voila. JARVIS needs to be fixed!" Ray mocked Tony as he gave her a fake glare.

"Kid I'm gonna have to walk you through rebooting JARVIS's speech drive but not now. Where is it? Just look at the screen and tell us." Tony said.

"It does say Miami, Florida."

Tony flinched. "Alright first things first. I need the armour, where are we at with it?"he asked.

"It's not charging." Harley said and Tony suddenly hit the break too hard making Ray almost fall as she wasn't wearing her seat belts. **(A/n: Always wear seat belts. You never know when the driver may have an anxiety attack.)** "Actually sir, its charging but the power source is questionable." JARVIS informed.

"What's questionable about electricity?" he exclaimed. "Alright, it's my suit and I can't...I'm not gonna...I don't wanna..." he panted.

"Tone?" Ray called placing a hand on his shoulder as she noticed him taking short breaths. She didn't seem to realise that he was having another panic attack. She only did when he said "Oh God not again!" and pushed her hand away and stumbled out of the car. He sat down on the road with his back against the car as Ray came out beside him.

"Tony, are you having another panic attack? I didn't even mention New York." Said Harley through the phone.

"Right, and then you just say it by name while denying having said it!" Ray kind of snapped.

"Sorry." She heard him mumble as she leaned near Tony.

"Oh God, what am I gonna do?" he said sounding out of breath.

"Hey, Tone, just calm down and breathe." Ray said kneeling in front of him placing a hand on his shoulder. He jumped in reflex of her touch. "It's just me...it's just me. You're fine."

"Nothing's fi..." he still stumbled with words and tried to catch his breath.

"Hey, we can figure this out..." she said giving him a hug. Luckily, this time Tony's _'I-am-the-big-brother'_ attitude didn't butt in. He rather returned the hug digging his face somewhere in her hair as Ray rubbed her hand on his back to calm him down.

"You're a mechanic right?" they heard Harley say, "You said so. Why don't you just make something?"

"See, the kid's smart. Thanks kid." Ray said. Tony remained quiet for sometime before looking up at Ray and giving her a _'Thank-you-I-needed-that'_ smile. Something had come up on Tony's mind as he got up. "Don't you ever mention this to anyone." He said pulling Ray up on her feet again.

"Yeah, you can count on me for that!"

The next thing they did was getting into a disguise, **(A/n: Pure marvel style with the cap and glasses. I don't know how that works though!)** and they went into the nearby hardware shop grabbing things they needed to make little but effective weapons. Tony felt thankful that Ray had actually followed him there 'cause he didn't know how he would make all those weapons in so less time all alone.

They left for Miami in the night. Ray had fallen asleep on the front seat of the car. "Tony, alter the speed of the car!" Tony heard her mumble.

"Why?" he asked not realising that the sound of the engine resonating was too much for her to take with her enhanced hearing abilities.

Had she been completely awake, she would have made a sarcastic remark for not remembering her hearing problems but she only said, "The sound is killing me!"

He obeyed realising why she was asking him to do so. "Where's the headphone I gave you?" he asked referring to the one he made, which was ultrasound proof. It was also connected to her i-pod and Voila. It could have been of help if they had it.

"Under the Pacific." She replied. She had lost it when their house collapsed.

It was around 2 o' clock at night when Ray realised Tony had been driving for 8 hours non-stop and didn't expect that he had any rest after the house was attacked and she knew he needed some. "Tony lets switch places."

"No...you go back to sleep. You need it!" he said.

"You need to rest too."

"Ray, I will know when I need rest."

"How long have you been awake?"she crossed.

"Not much." He said making Ray roll her eyes. Of course she knew he was lying!

"Tony!" she scolded as if he was some school boy.

"Okay, okay 72 hours, more than 72 hours." He said. He knew it was no use lying to her. She always knows it when he lies.

"72? Are you kidding me? Just pull over and let me drive now!" she insisted.

"Hey, I really am fine!"

"You can't fight the mandarin if you don't get some rest!" she said forcing him to pull over as she got down and pushed him to the passenger seat.

"I can't sleep with you on the searing wheel. I love my life." Tony joked.

"Don't worry. You can trust your life on me." She replied. Tony smiled. Though it was just a conversation where they were just joking but he knew the last comment was true.

TIME JUMP

Reaching the headquarters of the Mandarin Tony asked, "You sure you wanna come in?"

"Yeah, not gonna let you take all the credit."

They jumped across one of the walls of the compound which was highly guarded. They took them quite easily. **(A/n: Not going into the descriptions.)**

They electrified another Mandarin guard as they got into the Mandarin's room. It was weird. Not like a room in which a terrorist would stay. They noticed a picture of the Mandarin on his chair but the rest of the room looked like some backstage dressing room. Both of them went to the bed where someone was lying down pointing their guns ready for anyone who would attack but when Tony took off the blanket they only found two half naked girls lying down there. _What?_ Then they heard someone walk out of the washroom as both Ray and Tony hid behind the bed. The Mandarin came out talking to the girls in pure American accent. Both the Starks just stared at each other wondering what they were watching. "Hey!" they exclaimed pointing the gun at him as they walked out from behind the bed.

"Bloody hell! Bloody hell!" he exclaimed raising his hand in an act of surrender.

"Don't move!" Ray said as Tony looked at the girls. "Girls out!" he said and turned his attention to the girls.

"I'm not moving. If you want anything you can take it, although the guns are all fake because the workers wouldn't trust me with the real ones."

"What?" Ray exclaimed. It was all so confusing!

"Hey, you fancy either of the birds?" asked the Mandarin looking at Tony.

"No!" he replied. _What the hell?_

"And you?" he asked turning to Ray.

"Shut up!" she said pointing the gun right at his face.

"Alright, alright, I didn't force you!"

"Heard enough. You're not him. Where is he? Where is the Mandarin?" Tony shouted at him.

"Woah! Woah! He's here, he's not here!" he said as he sits down on the sofa.

"What do you mean?" Tony asked.

"It's complicated."

"UNCOMPECATE IT!" Ray snapped at him.

"She looks like a tough lady. I like her, I want her, do you?" he asked Tony as Tony pointed the gun at his face, glaring. This time he really wanted to shoot him. "Alright I don't want her, I don't want her!" he said in a panicked voice. "I'm Trevor, Trevor Slattery."

"What are you?" Tony asked. "What? You're a decoy, you're a double right?"

"What? Like an understudy? No absolutely not!" He replied which got Tony frustrated as he wasn't answering his questions properly. He pointed the gun back at him. "Don't hurt the face. I'm an actor!" he exclaimed. Ray flinched before turning to the other side of the room. It looked like something that Toy could handle himself. She went on to search the room.

"You got one minute. Fill me with words!"

"Just a role, 'The Mandarin', see, not real!" he said.

"How did you get here Trevor?" Both Tony and Ray were shocked.

"Umm...well I get um...have a little problem with, umm...substances, and I ended up doing things, two ways about it, in the street that a man shouldn't do..." he explained.

Tony flinched. "Next" he said sounding really irritated.

"And then they approached me about the role and they knew about the drugs..."

"What did they say they would get you off them?"

"They said they'd give me more." Ray rolled her eyes and continued searching the room where all the guns and antique stuff were kept. Indeed, the guns were fake! That means Trevor really isn't lying. "They gave me things, they gave me this palace, they gave me plastic surgery..." he continued and then suddenly he closes his eyes and instantly goes to sleep.

"Hey did you just nod off?" Tony said kicking him to wake him up. "No and a lovely speed boat!" e exclaimed. "And the thing is he needed someone to take credit for some accidental explosions... boom!"

"He?" Tony asked. "Kiillian?"

"Killian." He nodded.

"He created you?"

"He created me."

"Custom made terror treat?"

"Yes!" Trevor pointed at him to say he was correct. "Yes, his think tank thinked it up." He said getting up and got up to get two cans of colas. "The pathology of serial killer, the manipulation of iconography. 'Ready for another lesson?' Blah! Blah! Blah!" he said in the Mandarin's actual accent. He offered one to Tony which he denied, "Of course it was my performance that bought the mandarin to life."

"Your performance?" Ray asked. "Where people died?"

"No they didn't! That was all the costumes, green screen!" he replied. "Honestly, I wasn't even there for all these stuff, when I was there, it was all movie magic love." He said walking up to her and offering her the cola. She made a disgusted face and turned away. "She hates me." He told Tony.

"Everybody does." He replied.

"I'm sorry but we've got a best friend and he is in a coma and he might not wake up. You're still gonna have to answer for that. You're still going down..." she was about to add something more when suddenly she felt someone grab her by her throat. She saw Savin hit Tony too before she blacked out completely.

"Okay Trevor, what did you tell him?"

"I didn't tell him anything."

"You should have pressed the panic button."

"Well I panicked but then I handled it."

TIME JUMP

When Tony opened his eyes he heard his sister throwing abusive comments on Maya. "Bitch, get me off this!" she said. Maya was about to reply to her when she realised Tony was awake. "Just like old times, hunh?" she asked turning towards Tony as Ray also realised that he was awake.

"Yeah, zip tied. It's a ball." He shook his head trying to see straight.

"It was not my idea."

"So you took Killian's card?" Tony asked.

"I took his money."

"And here you are, in a dungeon." Tony said.

"No."

"Yeah."

"No, you're in a dungeon, I'm free to go." She said. Tony sighed. She got up and walked towards Tony. "Lots happened Tony. I'm close" she said as Tony tried to set himself free. "The extremis is practically stable."

"I'm telling you it isn't." Ray butted in.

"People are going 'bang!' they are painting the walls, Maya. You're kicking yourself." Tony added

"Then help me fix it!" she said showing him the card Tony had left for her back in Switzerland. Tony looked shocked. He turned to Ray giving her a questioning look. "What are you looking at me for? How am I supposed to know?" she said. Tony turned back to Maya. "Did I do that?"

"Yes!" she replied sounding really shocked.

"I remember the night not the morning... This is what you have been chasing around?"

"You don't remember?"

"I can't help you."

"You used to have a moral psychology. You used to have ideals. You wanted to help people. Now look at you!" Tony said trying to compel her. "I get to wake up every morning with someone who still has her soul." Maya stared at him. "Get us out of here. Come on Maya." It seemed to work but then Killian came in.

"You know what my old man used to tell me?" he said as he walked down. "One of his favourite of his many sayings, the early bird gets the worm, but the second mouse gets the cheese." He smiled at Ray and then Tony.

"You're still pissed off at me about the Switzerland thing, are you?" Tony said gesturing Ray to stay quiet. She obeyed 'cause she really didn't know what to say about it.

"How can I be pissed at you Tony? I'm here to thank you." he placed his briefcase down and turned towards him. "You gave me the greatest gift of my life..." he paused for a moment to make it sound dramatic, "desperation." He said. "If you think back to Switzerland, you said you'd meet me at the roof top, right? Well, for the first 20 minutes, I thought that you'd actually show up...and then the next hour, I...well...I considered taking that one way shortcut to the lobby, if you know what I mean." He turned to Ray expecting her to reply.

"Honestly, I'm still trying to figure out what happened to the first mouse." She shrugged. Killian rolled his eyes and turned his attention back to Tony and continued "But as I looked down over that city, nobody knew I was there, nobody could see me, nobody was even looking, I had the thought that would guide me for years. Anonymity, Tony. Thanks to you it has been my mantra eversince, right?" He looked at Maya as she smiled at him. "You simply rule from behind the scenes because the moment you give evil a face, a Bin Laden, a Gaddafi, a Mandarin, you hand the people a target." He said sounding pleased. "You have met him, I assume."

"Yeah, Sir Lawrence Oblivier." Tony remarked.

"I know he's a little over the top sometimes. It's not entirely my fault, he has a tend...he's a stage actor!" he explained.

"What's next for you in your world?"

"Well, I want to repay you with the self same gift that you one so graciously imparted to me." He said taking out three metal ball like projectors from his briefcase and rolling them on the floor as they projected a picture of Pepper being treated by extremis. She was glowing orange from inside and it was evident that she was in pain. "Desperation." He said as both Ray and Tony stared at him. "Now it is live." He added. "I don't know if you can tell, but at this moment the body is trying to accept extremis or to give up. And if it gives up, I have to say the denotation is...it's quite spectacular. But until that point it's just a lot of pain." Tony struggled in his chains and was freaking out from inside. He never had felt so helpless in his entire life! "We haven't yet talked salary yet!" he said approaching him as he approached him and held him by his throat glowing orange himself. Tony felt the heat on his throat.

"Let him go." He was stopped by Maya. He turned around to find she had an injector on her throat.

"Maya, what are you doing?" he asked.

"1200cc. A doze half of this I'm dead."

"Maya, give me the injector."

"If I die Killian, what happens to your soldiers? What happens to you? What happens if you go too hot." She walked back as Killian was approaching him. Killian took a deep breath. He turned to Tony and Ray and shot Maya. **(A/n: Sorry if this part sounds flat.)**

Ray was staring at him with pure anger and disgust. "You're a maniac." She said.

"I'm a visionary." He said approaching her breaking the minimum distance barrier. He was about to touch her when she kicked him right on his gut. He walked a few steps back glowing bright orange. Ray gulped as Tony stiffened his jaw. This wasn't going to end well! Suddenly Killian grabbed her by her throat and slipped his hand under her t-shirt on her bare stomach. At first Tony thought she would kick him off but then he realised what he was doing as she screamed in pain. "Let her go! She's not a part of this!" Tony shouted but he knew Killian wouldn't listen. She could hardly breathe with him choking her but she managed to scream. He was burning her. She threw both her legs trying to get him off her but it wasn't possible when she was the one tied to a pole.

When he left her she could barely stand. She was breathing heavily while the only thing that kept her on a standing position was the pole. Tony noticed the burn marks on her neck and he knew she had them on her stomach too. "I own one." He said holding her by her face so that she could see him. He smiled when he saw the tears that had welled up her eyes. He had been waiting for this for so long. "He's going to make his greatest appearance today." He said walking out of the room. Creating all this terror wasn't his real motive. He wanted to break Tony Stark. He wanted to overpower him and that he would do not by reaching a higher platform than him, but by throwing him down from where he was. Years of planning finally seemed to bring him joy

 **Yay! There's chapter 43 for you all. Tell me if you like it. I wanted to finish this chapter long before but I just wanted to write more. So here is a big chappie for you all.**

 **And here is the countdown for Avengers Infinity War.**

 *******15 DAYS TO GO!*******

 **I think I'm gonna die now!**

 **ImaginationsUnleashed**


	44. Chapter 44

**I'm going to skip the part where Tony meets Rhodey and talks to the Mandarin and directly jumping to the boat scene and Tony has also saved the staff of air force 1.**

 **Chapter 44**

When Ray woke up she felt a striking pain on her stomach and neck. She found herself lying down in a far comfortable position on a floor, or maybe a deck. She got up and sat with her head against the wall wondering where she was when her eyes shifted to the small fridge. She pulled the door and found ice packs kept with a small note. _'Ice packs will make you feel better'._ She recognised her brother's handwriting. She sighed in relief and down back where she was sitting applying the ice packs on the blisters on her neck and stomach. After sometime Ray got up to the deck and found Rhodes there. "Rhodey?" she said still a bit dizzy.

"Ray? You okay?" Rhodes asked. "How are your burns?"

"Better." She said looking around. "Where's Tony?"

"He is in the other room remote controlling his suit to save the staff of Air Force 1." He said getting up and asking her to follow him. "Tell me you have good news." Rhodes said opening the door.

"I think they all made it." He said as Rhodes sighed in relief. Tony noticed Ray standing behind. "Hey, Ray? Feeling better?" he asked.

"Yeah." She said as he approached her and removed her hair to see the burn on her neck. It had blisters and a few had even opened up. "Damn, tie your hair!" he said lightly touching it. "Aaah!" she exclaimed removing his hand. "I didn't get the president though." He said turning back to Rhodes.

"You couldn't get the president with the suit, how'll you get Pepper without one?" Rhodes asked.

Tony sighed and turned around and gave Ray her earpiece. "Glad to have you back ma'am." She heard Voila as she out it on.

"Yeah, I missed you too V." Ray was delighted to hear obedient AI's voice again. It felt so homely.

"Are we ready?" Tony asked through his earpiece.

"The house party protocol, sir?" JARVIS sounded.

"Correct!" he said turning to Ray. She looked surprised and excited.

WITH PEPPER

Pepper was awakened by someone injecting her with something, perhaps adrenalin. "Hi!" she heard someone say. She looked up to see who it was. Aldrich Killian! "You think he's gonna help you? He wouldn't!" she told him.

He shyly looked at her. "Having you here isn't just to motivate Tony, you're here as my, umm..."

"Trophy" Pepper completed as he shyly nodded. Just then the Iron Patriot suit landed on the door and opened to reveal President Ellis.

"Good evening, sir. Welcome abord, Mr. President." Said Killian as Pepper looked at him in shock.

WITH TONY AND RAY

"Ray I really don't think you should..." Tony was about to say but Ray cut him short. "Oh no! Not that again, Tony!" she sounded irritated.

"No Ray, you're hurt and this is dangerous and..." he trailed.

"Tony listen," Ray said in a more serious tone. "I'm not letting you go in there alone. You are sick, you're having panic attacks. You need me in there." She said. It was true.

"Ray, please!" Tony exclaimed angrily. He hated it when Ray didn't listen to him. Then his tone softened. "I can't lose you both." He finally said.

"Neither can I." Ray replied placing a hand on his.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"You're not going to freak out on me right?" Rhodes asked as they entered the Oil Drilling Platform.

"II hope not." Ray said as they looked up to see that the President was hanged with the Iron Patriot suit.

"Oh my God! He's stung up to the oil tank, they're gonna light him up man!" Rhodes said.

"Viking funeral." Ray said.

"Public execution." Tony added.

"Broadcast will come shortly. Take final positions." A voice over a speaker said.

They were walking on the rig behind a tank when suddenly Killian's men spotted them and started shooting. Ray shot someone on a distant platform before proudly looking back at her brother and Rhodes. "See that? Nailed it!" earning a smile fro Tony while Rhodes just stared at her. She rolled her eyes.

Tony got up and peeped on the other end. "What did you see?" Rhodes asked.

"Too early nothing yet." He said.

He got up again and spotted the extremis soldiers gathering. "Three guys, one girl, all armed." He said.

"God, I'll kill some armour now!" Rhodes exclaimed making both Ray and Tony smirk at each other.

"You know what?" Tony said as Ray gestures Rhodes to see ahead. He sees light flicker in the sky.

"Is that?"

"Yup!" Tony said.

The sky flickered with a few more lights. "Are those?"

"Yup!" Ray exclaimed.

Rhodey was left overjoyed as all the Iron Man and Valkyre suits arrived. "This looks like an early Christmas!" he said. He finally found some hope that they would be able to save both Pepper and the President.

The Iron Man and Valkyre suits latched on both their owners. "JARVIS, Voila target extremis heat signatures. Disable with extreme prejudice." Tony said

"Yes sir." Said both the AIs.

"Oh yeah, that's awesome! Now give me a suit." Said Rhodes said raising his hand ready for a suit to latch on.

"I'm sorry. All my suits are coded to me." Tony said flying away.

Rhodes expectedly looked at Ray. "My suits are all feminine." She said.

"What does that mean?"

"I got you covered." She said flying away as a Valkyre suit came to him. "Can I give you a lift?" said Voila.

"Yeah, very funny." He said rolling his eyes.

"Sir, I have located Miss. Potts" JARVIS said.

"I'll cover you." Ray told Tony shooting two extremis soldiers.

"Stay away from the ground. Shoot from the sky." He instructed.

"Yeah." Ray said hopping on the platform latching the Valkyre suit on an extremis soldier, blew it and jumped off the rig as another Valkyre suit latched over her. Tony sighed looking at Ray. He flew to the place where he located Pepper and found her under rubble. He picked up the metal pole as she got squashed under it. "Stop!" she almost screamed. "Keep it down! Keep it down!" He obeyed and leaned below. "See what happens when you hand out with my ex-girlfriends."

"You're such a jerk!" she said and started crying. She was terrified.

"We'll talk about this later at the dinner table." He said reaching out for her. She tried to grab her hand. They were only inches apart when suddenly a red hot hand comes out the rubble and knocks out Tony.

"Is this guy bothering you?" Killian said looking at Pepper as he seated himself on Iron Man. "Don't get up." He turned to Tony. "Oh is it hot in there? Stuck? Felling a little stuck? Like a turtle cooking inside his own turtle suit?" he said placing the finger on his arc reactor and heating him red hot. He was almost out of breath when suddenly Ray came flying from somewhere and hit Killian with energy bullets. That distracted Killian and when he was about to hit Tony he quickly took out a knife and his hand was cut. As the hand melted the rubble it shifted and Pepper fell somewhere below. Tony quickly ejected out of the suit and ran to get to her.

"Tony, I've got the President secure." He heard Rhodes.

"Good job. Get him to safety!"

"You think this is enough Tony?" Killian screamed. "Let's see whom you give your priority. One for millions!" he took out a remote from somewhere.

"What's that?"

"It's a bomb that that will go off in 15 minutes and give out extremis radiation." He evilly smirked. "The timer is already started counting down."

"You can't do that." Tony said looking really worried.

"Oh no no no no Tony. I already have done it!" he said looking contended. "Think about it, Tony. So many people out there wouldn't be able to accept the radiation. The scene would be spectacular." He looked at Tony and smirk plastered on his face. "Lets see who you choose. Your dear girl or the millions out there." Tony hit him hard on his face as he fell somewhere below. He rushed down to the platform. "Ray!" he called through his intercom.

"You got Peppy?"She asked.

"Not yet. We have another problem. A bomb somewhere is going to give out extremis radiation in less than 15 minutes. We have to deactivate it."

"Where is it?" she asked shooting another extremis freak right on his face and tearing his body apart. "Fuck!" she exclaimed as her suit heated up and she ejected out of it. "Voila, blow peanut for me, will you?" she said as the suit blowed up. She quickly jumped into another suit.

"I don't know. But there's a remote that activated it. You might want to retrace that signal."

"Got it!" she said flying up. "Voila, can you locate the remote?"

"I'm on it." Said the AI. Ray looked down at the Oil Drilling platform. "Tony there are still too many. You sure you can handle them?" she asked.

"Yeah. I wouldn't have asked you to do it, but Rhodey can't deactivate a bomb."

"I know." She said.

"Ma'am, I seemed to have traced the signal. I have located the bomb." Said Voila.

"Well done!" she said flying right towards the location.

Tony cursed himself for the fifth time in two minutes for sending Ray to deactivate the bomb. It was dangerous and he knew that! But he also knew that if there was anyone who could deactivate a high-tech bomb in so less time, it was Ray. He had to take the chance. He couldn't let so many people die. It would be a massacre!

He jumped in the platform below on a rig to get close to Pepper who was hanging. "I got you. Relax. I got you!"He stretched his hand but Pepper was way higher. He couldn't reach her. "Look at me, honey. I can't I can't reach you any further and you can't stay there, alright? You have to let go. You have to let go. I'll grab you. I promise!" he said. Pepper seemed to believe him. But suddenly the rig moved. It happened in a fraction of second. Pepper lost her grip and she fell, into the fire. Tony couldn't grab her. "No!" he stared helplessly below.

"Shame." He heard Killian say as he climbed up on the rig on which Tony was. "I would have caught her." He said in a very teasing tone. They charged at each other. Killian jumped to land a punch on Tony but he skid below and got into his suit. Tony kicked him as Killian hit him on the Iron Man mask. He flinched as he hit the metal and his hand glowed orange. Killian pushed Tony on the edge of the rig and was about to rip him into half when he got out of the suit and fell below on the platform. Killian was about to come down and hit him. He had no suits around to help him. Just then the Mark 42 suit flies behind. "I'll be damned. The prodigal son returns." Tony said getting up and waiting for the suit to come on him butt it hit on a bar and shattered on the ground. "Whatever!" he shrugged.

"You really didn't deserve her Tony. It's a pity. I was so close to having her perfect!" Killian said as he jumped down near Tony.

"Wait wait wait!" Tony said taking a step back. "You're right. I didn't deserve her." He was distracting him. "Here's where you are wrong. She was already perfect!" he said as he directed the shattered Mark 42 suit on him. The suit got on Killian and pinned him on the wall. "JARVIS, do me a favour. Blow Mark 42 up!"

"Nooooo!" Killian screamed as the face mask got attached and Tony slid down with the whole platform along with the suit and Killian blasted. He fell on the floor and covered himself with his arms to avoid the debris fall on him. As the debris fell the Iron Man helmet fell below. The eyes burned before the mask opened. Tony sighed finding it empty.

Suddenly a horrific form of Killian came out from under the rubble, glowing red and orange like magma. It walked directly towards him. "You said you wanted the Mandarin, Tony. You are looking right at him!" he screamed. "It was always me Tony! It has always been me." He was about to hit him when suddenly he was knocked down. Tony stared wide eyed at Pepper as she glowed orange. "I got nothing." Suddenly another suit comes from flying, aiming at Pepper and Killian. "JARVIS, subject at my 12 o' clock is not a target. Disengage!" he said only to realise his earpiece had fallen off. JARVIS shot at Pepper as she backs off. She angrily stares at Tony. "What? Oh you mad at me?" he said as Pepper runs towards him, uses him as a lift off and smashes her arm into the suit. She wears the Iron Man arm and uses it to blast Killian. "Honey!" Tony called as she turned at him.

"Oh my god! I was...I was so violent!"she said.

"You scared the hell out of me I thought you were..."

"I was dead." She completed. "Why, because I fell 200 feet?" Tony opened his mouth to say something but nothing came out. "Who's the hit mess now?"

"Still debatable."

WITH RAY

Ray flew to the place where she located the bomb. It was on top of a huge tower. **(A/N: Somehow the Oscorp Tower came up in my mind.)** "Voila, I need the scans." Ray said as she read the time no it. _'6:59'_ it read as it counted back.

"Scanning device." the AI said.

"Hurry up!" she freaked out but knew it wasn't of any use.

"Scan complete." Said the AI as the scans popped up on her screen. The machinery was too intricate. Even if she managed to deactivate the bomb, it would still cause a leakage that could cause death of thousands. "Fuck!" she exclaimed before connecting to Tony. "Tony!" she said.

"Ray, give me updates."

"I found the bomb. I even if I defuse it, there will still be a leakage." She said as the scans popped up in Tony's screen. Tony broke his hug from Pepper before seeing the scans. "There is no way you can stop it!" he exclaimed. "Not in this less time! What's the time?"

"1 and a half minutes left."

"I don't think we can stop this..." Tony trailed.

Ray stared at the bomb and fidgeted with the wires before suddenly exclaiming, "I can stop this!"

"How?" Tony sounded excited too.

"If...if I create an energy shield around the bomb I...I can probably stop the radiation from leaking!" she said.

"What?" Tony almost jumped."No! Absolutely not! You have to stay inside the field for that. It's dangerous!" he exclaimed.

"If this goes off, it's dangerous anyways!" she exclaimed from the other end.

"NO!" he snapped. "Ray, get out of there."

"Tony I can stop this!" she shot back.

"That can kill you!"

"There's a 50% probability. My suit can block 75% of the radiation." She tried to assure.

"74.5!" Tony exclaimed. He had already been doing the math in his head.

"Same thing!" Ray said before continuing. "We have to take the chance."

"It's not we! It's you taking the chance. I am not letting you do it!"

The timer counted ' _20, 19, 18...'_ "I'm doing it, Tone." Ray said in a calm tone as she started building up the energy shield.

"No!" he snapped. "Please, you don't need to do this!" he almost begged. He couldn't afford to lose her.

Tony who now wasn't even aware of his surroundings now sat on the ground with a thud. "Tony! What happened?" Pepper asked but he didn't even hear her. "Please don't make me regret the decision of sending you there, Ray."

"You wouldn't." Ray said. the uncertainity was clear in her voice. The shield got thicker and thicker. _'10, 9, 8...'_ the timer counted. "I'm sorry Tony." She said before the bomb went off.

 **OMGOMGOMGOMG! Did I just kill my OC? My favourite OC! Oh god! Did I? I still don't know. Because I'm debating whether Ray should live or die. It completely depends on my mood when I start to write the next chapter.**

 **Anyways, I AM GOING TO WATCH AVENGERS : INFINTY TOMORROW! I really can't wait now. The clock seems to have slowed down! I have been through so many hardships just to avoid spoilers! I have not logged into Facebook and Instagram for two days!**

 **Who do you think would die in Infinity War? OMG, I hope they don't kill Tony! But somewhere, my spidey sense says he's gonna die. But I'm soooooo not ready for it! Tell me your thoughts!**

 **Did you watch the movie yet? If you did, you can share your thoughts below. But I'm not going to read them before tomorrow. SPOILERS! And if you haven't seen the movie I'd say, don't read the comments. But you're always free to leave one.**

 **And at the end. REVIEW! IT MEANS A LOT. AND HELP ME DECIDE IF I SHOULD KILL RAY OR NOT. TELL ME IN YOUR COMMENTS.**

 **Bye till then!**

 **All the best to all you marvel geeks, for Infinity War. I'm sure it will take you through a whirlwind of emotions!**

 **ImaginationsUnleashed**


	45. Chapter 45

**I can't believe I ended the last chapter with 'I'm sorry Tony.' I wasn't aware of it! Then I saw Infinity War and I was like, what?**

 **I was too shocked to discuss about the movie sometime back. But I'm back now and I'm writing a full critical analysis of the movie! It seriously deserves one! Its called Infinity War Rants. If you have seen the movie please click the link and give it a read. And if you haven't, you can always add it to your subscription list and read it later.**

* * *

 **Chapter 45**

Ray was rushed to the medical facility when she was found. She was alive. But not safe yet. She was in the OT for hours while Tony stayed outside with Pepper waiting for Doctor Cho to arrive.

Pepper had never seen Tony so miserable, so scared. In only about a span of 12 hours, Tony had know what he would feel if he lost both his sister and Pepper. He might be The Invincible Iron Man but there was one thing he was afraid of, losing his loved ones. He had already lost a lot of people, seen so many deaths. He couldn't lose the little family he has. So he sat there, immovable outside the operation theater while his sister was insider fluctuating, fighting for her life.

"Tony..." Doctor Cho approached him. "We have operated her successfully. We're shifting her to the ICU." she said.

"Helen, how is she?" he asked first time ever since he bought Ray there.

"Tony, I don't have to tell you this. I'm quite shocked how she even survived this. So much heat radiation! When JARVIS told me about the situation, I thought she would be dead by the time you find her."

Tony gulped and then stiffened a bit. "Doctor Cho, I don't care how she survived, I don't care why she survived. All that matters to me is that she survived!"

Helen wanted to speak again and point him out how she did the impossible, how her knowledge couldn't explain how Ray survived the radiation blast so intense but then she stopped.

"Is she going to be well?" Pepper asked.

"That depends on her. Being really honest with you, its going to be tough but she seems to have a strong will."

She was kept in the ICU for about a week. All that time, Tony stayed at the hospital, refused to rest or eat until the day Helen came up and told him, "She's really got a very strong will to live."

"How's she?" Pepper asked.

"She's better. She's asleep and she needs plenty of it."

"Can...can I see her?" Tony fumbled. The nervousness was clear in his voice.

"Yes. But one at a time."

《TWO WEEKS LATER》

Proofing Helen Cho completely wrong Rau recovered. After that radiation blast a that was left were the burn marks, the broken knee and the misplaced elbow that would heal in some time.

Ray had almost screamed when she saw the mirror for the first time. The burn on her lft cheek was huge. "That's what heppens when you don't listen to me." Tony had said. He had gained his older self. He didn't want Ray tl know how worried he was. All he wanted was her to get better.

"Shut up!" she had said annoyed with his comment. She face was at stake! She was quite devastated until Helen assured her that she could completely heal her and make the burn marks vanish.

"Promise?" she had asked like a four year old.

Helen was quite shocked that how could the person who had risked her life for saving the city could be such a child with in. "Promise." she had said before turning to Tony. "What's her age?"

"14."

"15!" she had shot back.

"14 years and 10 months!" Tony told in a firmer tone.

Helen had smiled. "If you take your medicines properly and listen to the nurse and me you'll ne discharged soom enough."

"Yes, sure. Can't wait to go back home. I feel so bored here." she complained for the 46th time in the day.

* * *

 **I'm gonna finish it here. I know its really short but I can't add more to this. It would probably become too boring. This is basically the end of phase 1 of my story. Phase two would be more about my own plot blended with the other MCU film. MY PLOT IS GONNA SHOCK YOU GUYS. I CAN ASSURE YOU ALL THAT.**

 **Don't be disheartened with the length of this chapter because I have already started typing the next one and I'll probably update it tomorrow or the day after. Stay with me. Give hearts and review cause it lights me up!**

 **Btw, PEPPERONY AND RAY-TONY LOVERS, I HAVE WRITTEN A NEW FIC CALLED AND THEY HAPPILY LIVED EVER AFTER. IT'S A ONE-SHOT. CLICK ON THE NAME (WHICH IS OF COURSE THE LINK) TO READ IT. ITS PRE INFINITY WAR AND SPOILER FREE. PLEASE, I WANT MORE HEARTS AND REVIEWS.**

 **ImaginationsUnleashed**


	46. Chapter 46

**Hey everyone! I'm back again like I said with chapter 46. But before I continue writing this chapter I'd want you guys to know that I have completely planned this fic now and I know where it is going and from this part I'm going to add specific hints on the main theme of my story. So you guys shouldn't miss them. I'm actually quite proud of myself that I could frame all this. So stick with me and give me hearts!**

 **Chapter 46**

Up from a nightmare. You can't describe how it feels. You're happy that it's finally over and you are up from your sleep but you can't fall asleep again afraid that the dream might start up all again. That's how Ray felt. She was back at MIT trying to get back to having a normal life again. She was more or less successful, except the frequent nightmares. But she had a remedy. Sleeping pills. They always helped.

She rushed down the gates making sure no one sees her. Being a Stark and Valkyre was hard. Ones you are spotted by the public you're on the internet and the next day your brother comes to know what all you are up to! It's always irritating when Tony calls her up and gives her a lecture on how she shouldn't misuse the freedom he has given her.

"You're car is awesome." Clara said as she saw Ray walk out in her black hoodie, nerdy glasses and slight makeup, her disguise. **(A/N : Marvel style)**

"Yeah, I made it." She said sounding proud of her creation.

WITH TONY

Things were finally coming to be normal. Yes, he still had his anxiety problems but it was always better when he had Pepper by his side every night so that he could dig his nose into her collar bones smelling her sweet perfume that had faded by the end of the day and tried to calm himself down. Pepper understood him better than he understood himself. He acknowledged that fact and he was thankful that Pepper was there for him.

It was around 11 at night he dialled Ray's number who was at MIT. "Hello?" the voice sounded after a few rings.

"Hey kiddo, wassup?" Tony said.

"Aaaah... studying." She fumbled a bit. Of course she wasn't.

"Really? Did I disturb you?"

"Yeah." She wanted him to keep the damn phone. She didn't want to be busted like last time.

Something struck Tony. He knew from the way she was speaking that something was fishy. "What's that sound?"

Ray grumbled. It was the car engine. _Fuck, why does he notice things so much?_ "I'm in the lab. We're working on our latest project. I'm busy." She wanted to hang up the phone.

"I thought you said you were studying." Tony sounded serious.

"My projects are a part of my studies. Why do you ask so many questions?" she sounded irritated.

"Because I know you and I don't trust anything you say!"

"Tony, I'm busy, I'll call you later."

"Hey-"Tony wanted to say something else but she cut the line before he could do that. _Damn!_ He mentally said.

Tony was paying his attention back to the company. Of course Pepper was the CEO but he was all about the funds. Without his funds, the company would go nowhere! The board of directors had been putting more pressure to bring back Tony as the head of the research wing instead of working as Ray's guide. They wanted someone more active, not a 15 year old who was still studying at MIT. Tony had assured them about a million times that his sister's tech was enough and could keep the company going for atleast a decade from now. But they still wanted someone who could attend all board meetings and speak about the progress of the research wing. So Tony had to step in and make sure that her tech was put to proper use in the company. Afterall, he didn't want the board of directors to consider one of the Starks invalid while the other was still underaged.

WITH RAY

"Fuck!" she exclaimed. They had an accident. They skid past the lane while over speeding and their car toppled. Luckily, no one was injured. But the traffic police had caught them and the worst part, they didn't recognise Ray in her disguise. "Officer, I'm telling you this for the last time, let me out!" she said angrily.

The officer rolled his eyes. "Miss, please sit calmly. Don't force to take action against you."

"Do you even know who I am?" she was furious.

"Kid you have to stay there until the officer of the other shift arrives."

"Don't call me a kid. You have no idea who I am!" She wished she hadn't put on that disguise.

"You are a spoilt brat of a rich father. Now shut up!"

"What did you just call me...?" she was about to say more when Clara pushed her back.

"Ray, Ray calm down."

"Look how he's talking. I'll show him."

"You can't do anything. You're behind the bars."

"Oooh I'm not staying here for my whole life time."

"Caaaaaalm down Ray." Clara said.

"Let me call my suit, I'll show him."

"Bad idea!" Clara stopped her and she kicked the floor angrily.

The officer ignored before sitting down on is chair. "Fucking corrupted officer!" she exclaimed before realising that the others who were in the same cell as her were all staring. Half of them were drunk and dirty. "What?"

TIME JUMP

After eternities of waiting the officer came. He talked to the other officer. They seemed to talk about her as the other one pointed at her and the new arrival flinched before walking up to her.

"So you're the problem kid?" he asked.

"I've said this ones, don't call me a kid." She would never let go of her Stark attitude even when she was at disadvantage.

"I'm sorry I don't know you. Can I have your intros?" he spoke in a mocking tone. She only glared at him. "Listen kid, I'm not here to entertain your nonsense. Give me your name so that the guy over there can make a report and contact your dad."

"All my ID card is lying on that table. Why don't you have a look at them?" she said.

"Oh then the other officer must have seen it."

"Trust me, your officers are all corrupted. They had been lying there for 3 hours untouched." She was angry. It was 2 o'clock and she had an early morning lecture.

"Why don't you just tell me your dad's number so that he can bail you?"

Ray turned at Clara. "You call your dad." She said. No way she was calling Tony.

"My dad? Ray you know he wouldn't come."

"You're not dumping this on me! I'm not calling Tony." Nooooooo she couldn't!

"You girls giving me a number or you want to stay there?"

Ray glared at the older girl, her roommate, Clara. She only gave her a _'I-am-sorry'_ look. She turned at the officer to tell him the number. "*********" **(A/N : Thats the phone number and not Ray throwing some abusive language.)**

"That's your dad."

"My brother." She said. Damn she was tired standing for 3 damn hours. Of course she wasn't sitting down in that dirty cell!

"I need your dad's number." Of course! Dads are more strict. He wanted to make sure the kid doesn't end up doing all that nonsense again.

"I don't have one!" she hated saying that.

The officer raised an eyebrow. "Mom?"

"I don't have one either."

"Are you sure you're telling the truth?"

"Damn, just check her ID card for ones!" said Clara who was sitting on the floor.

The officer listened this time and walked to the desk and picked up her ID card. For ones his eyes went wide. _Rayne Emily Stark._ It read. He turned back at her as he noticed the similarities between the Ray in the picture and Ray in her disguise. "Miss Stark, what an honour!" he said. Sarcasm was clear in his voice.

"Just call him." Ray rolled her eyes. She wasn't in the mood to argue anymore.

TIME JUMP

It was 6 o' clock in the morning and Ray was quite sure she was going to miss her lecture and she was still standing.

"Ray, sit down." Clara had told that to her for about 134 times. Now she had fallen asleep at the corner of her cell. That's when Tony walked in. He was called at the middle of the night and he was told about the situation. His first instinct was to panic. _Accident?_ But then when he was assured that she was fine and presently in the police station he felt angry. _God, what am I supposed to do with this kid?_ He thought.

"So, latest project, hunh?" he mocked crossing his arms on his chest.

"Oooh come on!" she said in a tired and irritated voice. "Just get us out."

"Out?" Tony said. he walked and seated himself on the chair infront of the officer's desk. "I think you look good there." Ray rolled her eyes. "No, no! Don't give me that look." He said as he walked towards her. "I had been called at 3 o' clock at the midnight and told that my sister is in jail."

"Umm... Mr. Strak she had been standing there since one last night." Clara informed realising Tony was just not letting her get through it easily.

For a moment there was a worried expression on Tony's face. _Standing for five hour? Seriously?_ He thought before hiding that expression completely. "Why am I not shocked?" he said before walking back to the desk and signing the bail papers and the officer let both Ray and Clara out.

"Mr. Stark, thank you so much for bailing me. If you weren't here I would been busted!" Clara said.

"Yeah, I did bail you but I'm not sure if I saved you from being busted or not." He replied.

"What?"

"I called your mom."

"What?" Clara exclaimed just when her mother came in.

"Clara! What on earth do you think you had been doing?"

Ray only gave her a _'I-can't-help-you'_ look before walking towards Tony.

The hotel Tony had booked was about only 2 minutes away. Ray was thankful! She didn't want to go back to her hostel. She terribly needed some rest so she went with Tony to the hotel where he was staying.

"Seriously? Ray? You got arrested because you were over speeding?"

"Yes." She didn't want to agrue.

"What example does it set? Valkyre, the youngest avenger got arrested!"

"I never signed the Avengers Initiative. I work as an advisor." She said making Tony roll his eyes. He got his jacket off had threw himself on the bed. He was tired too. he hadn't slept eversince he had got that call. "Shut up Ray. What am I supposed to do with you?" Tony sounded irritated.

"Nothing." Ray said walking past the room, throwing her jacket on the sofa and opening her boots. Woah, she never knew sitting could give so much comfort. Her back was hurting!

"Ray, you can't just ignore whatever I'm telling you. You have to understand. I have a responsibility. You can't..." he was saying when Ray climbed up the bed beside him and placed her head on his chest like she used to before when she was a kid. She had been doing that eversince he got rid of that arc reactor. "Hey, hey, hey... no cuddling! I'm scolding you here!" he exclaimed.

"Tony, can we really do this chat later. I'm really tired."

Tony opened his mouth to say something but nothing came out. He couldn't deny that the kid really was tired! "I wish I had been strict to you from when you were a kid!" he said but he instinctively put his arm around her so that she could be comfortable.

Ray mumbled something and instantly fell asleep. Tony sighed looking at the sleeping form of his sister. _Someday, she's gonna make me go crazy._ He thought as he tangled his fingers in her messy hair and stroked it gently.

 **So that's it! Chapter 46! Tell me if you like it or not. Leave a comment and give hearts!**

 **I'll be back as soon as possible.**

 **ImaginationsUnleashed**


	47. Chapter 47

Months passed in MIT. Ray rolled on her bed with her books lying around. Reading for too long could definitely stress your eyes. Moreover it was late night. She was supposed to go to sleep 5 hours ago. But there she was digging her face in her books. After hours of studying Ray felt the need to straighten her back that was aching due to sitting in the same posture for too long. So she just laid down with her head on her fat physics book and grabbed her phone to log into her Instagram. **(A/N : This is literally me!?)** "Ray its past 4. You should probably go to sleep now." Clara babbled from her bed.

"I'm fine Clara. I can go without sleep for long." Ray replied.

"That doesn't mean you ruin mine." she grumbled. She was tired of Ray digging her face in her books or her laptop late at night with the lights on.

Ray ignored and kept scrolling her phone. Not that she was a social media person. She believed that most of the social media apps terribly needed an update. But sometimes, when you're bored and have nothing else to do because your brother has taken away your car and you don't feel like hacking into some files of SHIELD or Nasa, these apps did help.

"What are you doing up so late?" came a message from none other than her brother.

"Was studying." she replied.

"Really?ￂﾠ

Why can't I trust you? ﾟﾘﾬ"

"Idk." was a short and blank reply but she didn't know what else to write.

"Tell me Ray, where are you?" Ray could literally imagine him standing with his hands crossed on his chest. Ray rolled her eyes before taking a quick click of herself and sending it to him.

"Good girl!" came a reply. Ray rolled her eyes again. She was still angry by the fact that Tony had taken away her car from her!

"Why are you up so late? Did Pepper throw you out of the room?"

This was Tony's turn to roll his eyes. "I'm working on my baby. She's called Veronica." he replied referring to his latest project.

"Tony, how can you determine the sex of the baby while having sex? And why are texting me while doing that?" Ray giggled and Tony rolled his eyes again.

"Shut up crack head! Bruce is reading your texts." Tony replied.

"Oh, so its the baby you're having with Bruce."

Ray could imagine the scientist turn red. He looked at Tony as he stopped reading it and dig his face back to the virtual screen. "Alright, you embarrassed him. Is that what you wanted?" Tony was laughing too at his sister's sly remark making Bruce more irritated.

"Lol!

So who is Veronica?"

"Basically a satellite. But she's still an infant. Will show her to you ones we have a prototype."

"Sure, would love to see her."

"So what's your new interest?" Tony asked knowing quite well that her sister had been studying and researching in several new fields to add modifications to her Valkyre suit.

"Electromagnetism." she replied. She didn't mention the Super Soldier Serum that she had been reading about and gathering information about. It was just a random interest that grew so strong that she even went to the extent of hacking into SHIELD classified files. She even asked Natasha to send her the hand written documents that were compiled when Steve was injected with the serum. Luckily, Nat agreed and sent her those files with a few cassette recordings with it. "How's Pep?"

"She's good too.

But now you should go to bed. Stop studying give those eyes some rest!" Tony wrote as Ray read it in his voice.

"Yeah, yeah. You and Bruce get some too!" she wrote.

"Yeah. Good night."

"Good night!"

* * *

 **That's it for chapter 47. This chapter is basically a bridge between the previous one and my present plot. The next chapter will directly jump to the main plot and is going to have a lot of information. So gear up for a super long chapter. I'll add that really soon. Stay connected. Give hearts and please leave a comment below? because trust me, after a long day when I log into quotev and find that someone has left a comment on my story, it seriously makes my day!**

 **AND, I TERRIBLY NEED READERS ON MY STORY PAST PRESENT AND FUTURE. ITS A FIC WITH TONY, LOKI AND RAY AS LEAD CHARACTERS. IF YOU LIKE THIS FIC, I'M SURE YOU'LL LIKE THAT ONE TOO. MOREOVER ITS SHORT AND I'M GOING TO UPDATE IT TWICE AND MAYBE EVEN THRICE A WEEK. SO PLEASE CLICK ON THE LINK AND GIVE IF READS AND HEARTS. DON'T FORGET TO LEAVE A COMMENT!**

 **ImaginationsUnleashed**


	48. Chapter 48

**Chapter 48**

Ray had a day off. That meant she could sit back in her room and do whatever she wanted on her laptop. Basically she had been wanting a day off for long since she wanted to sit and read the physical files on Super Soldier Serum Natasha had sent her. It started as a random interest but it only grew as she kept reading more and more. Howard's involvement in the project was one of the reasons why it did. Right now, it had been an hour Ray had been digging her face in those files.

"Ray, you're coming for lunch?" called Clara and her other project members.

"I'll have it later. You can go." Ray said. With the time Clara had spent with the younger Stark, there was one thing she had learnt, it was impossible to get Ray off her laptop unless she herself wants to. So she didn't bother to force her and just walked out with the others.

After Steve went under the water and froze there were several attempts of recreating the Super Soldier Serum one of which her father was also involved in. Though not as one would expect, but this research couldn't be called a disappointment. The named it the Superior Super Soldier Serum or the S4 for short. It was done by the American Government itself and because Howard was closely related to the research that created Captain America, he was called in. The reports were incomplete. It looked as if a few parts of the project were deliberately kept away so that anyone couldn't just steal it. _The blood that is needed to extract the S4 has to be genetically very strong._ Ray thought. That was the reason why the serum could not be extracted from Steve's blood. _Where is this guy with such strong genetic constitution afterall? Does he even exist?_ Ray thought. It was logical to think it. There was only a one in a million chance that such an indivisual is born and even if he did, how was it possible to find him? All those information were missing from the file. Even the genetic requirements were not written clearly. Ray had to work them out herself! Even the machine that was used to inject the serum in Steve, it had a vivid description of its looks and even had a picture of it. But there was not one piece of paper that described it working!

She kept aside the 10 cassettes from the stuff for time being. After hours of reading the one thing that caught Ray's interest was a thing file of hand written papers by none other than Howard Stark.

 _"The super soldier serum works. Subject's metabolism has increased considerably, so has his cell regeneration powers."_

 _-Howard Stark_

It was from when Steve was injected with the serum. _Cool!_ She mentally exclaimed.

 _"The machine that was used to_ _inject the super soldier serum is beyond my understanding. It is far more than just a piece of machinery made by common man."_

 _-Howard Stark_

Ray moved on to the next page and after reading for at least another hour before she completed them. All she felt was excited and irritated. The files were incomplete and she wanted to know more. _Maybe the cassettes can enlighten up the situation._

She quickly grabbed her phone before dialling Happy's number. It rang for exactly two times before Happy picked it up.

"Hey Happs!" she greeted.

"Hey Ray! How can I help you?" he replied.

"Well, you see, I have a situation here and I need a cassette player that I can connect to my laptop."

"What kind of situation?" he asked sounding alarmed at ones making Ray roll her eyes.

"Nothing like that. I'm just working on some stuff!" she said.

"Oooh!" he said. "You'll have one at your place tomorrow."

"Thanks a Happs! You're awesome!" she said before hanging up.

TIME JUMP

Next day, like the ever efficient Happy Hogan promised, the cassette player arrived and the same evening Ray sat down again this time playing the cassettes that were labelled from 1 to 10. She inserted the first cassette. It showed the video of the first time Super Soldier Serum was being made. A man's voice spoke up. "Good evening folks, I am Doctor Erkinstein, the head of SSR and this is project Super Soldier day 1 test 1." He said. "The serum increases the metabolism of the subject ad increases the cell regenerating capabilities too causing massive increase in strength and stamina of the subject..." he continued. "...I would like to thank Mr. Howard Stark for his grand donation."

 _Grand Donation?_ Ray thought. _Now, what the hell is that?_

The second and the third cassette were the recordings of the test of the serum on smaller animals. It took about 133 trials to make the serum! The fourth was a test on a chimpanzee. It died. The fifth cassette was another experiment on a chimpanzee where it survived.

"Well," Ray mumbled under her breath, "lucky chimp!"

The sixth cassette was different. It had more people. It was the recording of the 4 hour long conference that they had before running human tests for the Super Soldier Serum.

 _"Today we posed a threat. We must not forget, Hydra is a very intelligent organization and the have double agents everywhere. Today, hydra has attempted to steal our research, tomorrow they might be successful. Keeping this in mind, I command severe security to the F-wing. This can be the only path to peace. We must protect this."_ said the man.

 _Hydra..._ Ray wondered. Even before Steve told her, she had ones heard about this organization, as a kid.

FLAASHBACK

"Ray, honey, where are you?" called Maria as she got out completely dressed from her room.

"I'm here mom!" came out a six year old kid.

"Okay dear, I'm going out with your father and we won't be back before tomorrow. I want you to be a good girl and listen to your brother and your nanny, okay?" she said kennlig infront of her daughter as she nodded. Maria smiled before turning to her first born, "Tony, I need you to take care if her, okay? Be a good big brother." he said.

"Yeah, you can count on me for that." Tony said before turning to his sister and giving her a wink as she grinned. She knew that if Tony was in charge of taking care of her, she was going to have a fun day. Maria smiled. She knew that she could always rely on her son to take care of his sister. She placed an affectionate kiss on both her children's forehead before walking out with Howard.

Like expected, the siblings had a lot of fun that day. Ray's nanny had to hardly look after her considering she always had Tony around her, so she decided to go back home early to finish up her work so that she could show up early next morning to her work.

Late at night, Ray was asleep in her room and Tony was busy in his father's workspace working on some old car, renewing it when the security alarm went off. Ray heard the alarm and knew what it meant. She knew that her nanny was no where around the house so she rushed to the person she felt safest with, her brother, Tony.

"Ray!" Tony exclaimed seeing her and quickly picked her up in his arms. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah." She said nodding frantically at the same time.

"Don't worry, it's going to be okay." Tony assured. "Just stay close to me!" Ray nodded again.

Tony pulled out a device from his father's drawer, a paralyser, his own invention as he quickly hid himself and his sister behind the desk. When the man entered Tony did his best to defend himself and his sister. He took out the paralyser to hit him but the man hit him causing him to fall and the paralyser hit him on his leg. He fell down too. He bought his gun out and pointed it right at Ray who was standing looking really scared with the situation. "Noooo!" Tony screamed before throwing the paralyser at the man and jumping between Ray and the bullet which shot him right in his stomach as he fell.

FLASHBACK

Next thing that Ray remembered was sitting on Tony's legs in the hospital as Tony slept his tiredness of the sleeping pills. "No I can't let hydra pose a threat to my family! That's my son who had been fighting for his life for 6 hours!" Ray had overheard Howard talk to someone.

"Sir, I assure you we'll get to the roots of this and provide your family and the special one absolute security."

"You better make sure you do that!"

Ray remembered only remembered that part. When Tony was shot it was like her brain had shut down. She couldn't process the trauma that her brother could have died that night!

She hadn't know what hydra exactly was before she met Steve and she researched on it. Today Ray realised why they were attacked that night. The man was looking for the S4 files in their house. Ray sighed thinking how her father's work was so important to him that he even his family's security was a second preference to him. Why else would he keep such confidential files at his own home?

WITH TONY

The Stark Tower which was now renamed Avengers Tower was busier than ever with the Avengers shifting in. The lower floors were completely used for SHIELD's working. 6tg floor was a gym newly built for Steve, Nat and Thor. The seventh and eighth floor was the the common lab for the SHIELD. Eight floor was the medical facility. Nineth was the lab for Bruce, Tony and Ray to work in. It was bigger than before and with Tony moving all his cars to the basement it looked even bigger. The rest of the place was used by the avengers as their personal resident where they basically stayed like a family.

Tony like always was at the lab working with his best pal, his science bro, Bruce. He used to think that he couldn't possibly work in the lab with anyone but Ray but Bruce had proved him wrong. The scientist was really a good person to work with. In really less time Tony had grown very close to him.

He actually felt relaxed. All he had to do was go to the missions and bust a few arms dealers and help the people ensure global security and sometimes help at the Stark Industries. And at the end of the day when he came back tired, he would always have Pepper by his side. Nothing could go wrong. What else could a man wish for?

AT NIGHT

WITH RAY

Ray had just taken her dinner. She was starving. It was almost dinner time when she realised that she had skipped lunch and now she had dragged Clara out with her to have an early dinner. She hated eating alone! Now she was back again sitting on her bed and watching the rest of the cassettes.

"What the hell have you been watching on that for the whole day?" Clara asked

"This is important." she said taking a sip of coffee from her mug. She had been living on it!

"Can I see it?" she asked now sitting up in a cross legged position on her bed.

Ray looked up from the screen pausing the video. "No" she said.

Clara rolled her eyes. "God I thought being Valkyre's room mate would be interesting. You're just boring me!"

Ray sighed. "Well, I'm not Valkyre. I'm Ray, Ray Stark." she said.

"Aren't they supposed to be the same?" Clara was now swinging legs.

Ray laughed cynically. She wondered. _Were they?_ Valkyre was a hero, a super hero one would look up to. She was brave. She was fearless. But Ray, Ray was different. She was not even near to a super hero. She alone and...and she was scared. She was amongst the poor kids who had PTSD issues and needed sleeping pills to stop her from screaming and waking up at night. "Are they?"

Clara sighed loudly. "Whatever! I'm sure Ray Stark isn't supposed to be boring either!"

Ray rolled her eyes. "Hey, you're the reason why my brother took away my car! Now don't complain about being bored! Go to bed. It's 2 o' clock already!" she shot back. Clara rolled her eyes again. There was no use trying to get the younger Stark to talk when she was busy doing her work!

She got her ear phones back on to see the video. It showed the lab test on Steve by Dr. Erkinstein, Peggy Carter, Howard and other governmental delegates. She was quite shocked to find out that Steve was so skinny before the procedure.

It was around 3:30 at night when Ray played the last caasette. It was recorded after Steve under ice and the research o S4 was going on. It was a video of some party, people talking, drinking. Ray wondered why that cassette was kept with those important cassettes until the end part of the video played. " _Rayne_ ," she heard Howard's voice. _"I know you're reading the Super Soldier Serum files. And I know you must have found out the flaws in it. You won't find the answers here. And talking about the machine, yes I couldn't understand a part of it. It looked as if it was made with something that is beyond human knowledge. Perhaps in future, you might be able to decipher its principals. The real reason to make this video recording is that I want to warn you. Hydra will always be after you and Tony. If you see this video that means you're very special. You must be wondering how I predicted that you would read these files. Trust me, its in your blood."_ The video turned off. Ray sat there awestruck. _Why would Hydra be after us?_ she wondered. _And what the hell did he mean by 'its in your blood'?!_ She took out the cassette and fidgeted with it. There was a sticker with a date written on it. _August 1998._ It read. _What the fuck?_ That was way before her birth! That was way before her mother's pregnancy!

* * *

 **So there's the super long chapter I had been talking about. Did you like it? I know you all must be confused with whatever happened in this chapter. I'm gonna reveal my plot slowly. Stick with me.**

 **AND YES, LIKE I SAID, I TERRIBLY NEED READERS FOR MY FIC 'PAST PRESENT AND FUTURE'. PLEASE GIVE IT A READ AND COMMENT. CLICK ON THE LINK!**

 **ImaginationsUnleashed**


	49. Chapter 49

**Note : The events these few chapters and Captain America : Winter Soldier takes place in the same time frame.**

 **I know, I'm not following the MCU timeline. I started writing this fic long before the timeline was verified. So I decided to stick to my timeline 'cause that makes stuff a lot easier.**

 **Enjoy reading and please leave a comment. I am only 2 s away to reach a century so please if you haven't ed this story yet, do it!**

Anyways, I'm gonna rush things a bit cause I think taking too long and extending this to more than one chapter would make it boring.

* * *

After a week long researching on the S4 Ray finally chose to get out of her room so that she could hang around with her friends. "Look who finally showed up!" exclaims James, one of Ray's project mates.

"Hey Rayne, where have you been the past week? You only attended the classes and never showed up on the canteen."

"I've been a bit busy." she said in short not bothering to give any further explanation.

"She's been working on some secret Avenger stuff." Clara said as everyone's eyes went wide.

"Woah!" they exclaimed. They looked overjoyed by the mention of Avengers.

Ray rolled her eyes. "God! Chill guys. Its not something so important. Its just my research work!" she said.

"Still sounds cool!" Larry said.

"Yeah, whatever. Can we eat?"

Ray wanted a break. She had been in the room for so long that she had completely forgotten that she was in MIT and not in her home in California. The S4 could be researched on later. As of now all she wanted was to put her complete concentration in her studies.

But when you're Valkyre, is that even possible?

Fury called.

"Captain Sparrow, how do I be of your service?" she said with a hint of pun in every word.

Fury rolled his eyes. He wondered why one of the most 'hard-to-handle' teenagers had the best brain ever that Fury had to call her for help! "Rayne, we actually might be of help." he said.

Ray sighed loudly enough for Fury to hear. "Yeah, that's why I'm here. I have no other work than help you doing your boring stuff!"

"You might want to get yourself involved in this." he said in a serious tone.

"So your gonna keep telling me how I would be interested in this shit?"

"Ever took interest in quantum physics?" Fury said.

There was a silence on the other end.

"Ray?"

"I'm listening." a rather serious tone. Fury knew she was interested.

"I've sent you a file. Read it."

"Rodger that captain sparrow."

TIME SKIP

Ray had finished reading the file. It was a report on Dr. Hank Pym who and his research on Pym particle. He used to work for SHIELD long back but had left when they tried to take over his research. Some guy named Darren Cross had taken over Pym's company. She knew about him before only from the business magazines. But she had never known that he even had some discovered something called the pym particle.

 _'Pym particle is a rare group of subatomic particles, which allow the user to bypass the Square-cube law of physics.'_ she read in the file. _'Cool!'_ she mentally exclaimed. _'But how is that even possible? Shrinking the atomic space to reduce size of objects...'_ she wondered. That's when Fury called again.

"Rayne, I think you must have read the file by now." he said.

Ray glanced at the clock. _'3 AM'_ It read. She rolled her eyes. He really did expect that she would receive the call at that late an hour? "Fury, do you know what time it is?!" she rather asked.

"I know. And I also know that no matter what you must be awake reading the files I gave you." he said.

She rolled her eyes again. "Yeah yeah, I read them."

"So are you in?" he asked.

"I don't know Fury. I have MIT." she said. Of course she wasn't saying yes so easily!

"I just thought you might be interested in this." Fury said.

"Nah Fury, you thought that there's no one in SHIELD who can actually hack into Pym's database, research on Pym particle and do the mission simultaneously." Fury could literally imagine the sass bomb smirking on the other end. "Ray, are you gonna help?"

"Alright, I'll sacrifice my studies for you and your SHIELD." she said. "But these filea are incomplete." she said finally coming to the point."You hardly have anything on Pym Particle."

"That's where your role starts."

"What do you want me to do?"

"We know from our sources that Darren Cross is very close to replicate Pym's research and if he does, he would sell it to Hydra and other terrorist groups."

"So why not send SHIELD agents and get him arrested."

"Pym doesn't trust SHIELD and would never agree to get our help. And..."

"And?"

"SHIELD's been having a lot of internal issues at this moment. I think it's better if you do it."

"Wait! This mission isn't in SHIELD's file?"

"No." he said. "Remember Ray, you can't let Pym know your identity. If he does he does, he would never let you in."

"Rodger that!"

* * *

 **Initially I thought that this chapter would be really long but I ended it here. The next few chapters are going to be less antman stuff and more about Ray's personal story.**

 **So see you all till the next update!**

 **ImaginationsUnleashed**


	50. Chapter 50

Ray was in her room reading everything she could gather about the quantum realm. Eversince she read about Pym's research she couldn't stop thinking about the possibilities of every huge breakthrough in science. It was revolutionary!

She had all those thoughts in mind when Tony called. She threw herself on the bed before receiving the call. "Hey!" she greeted.

"Ray!" Tony said from the other end. "Wassup?"

"Studying." she said in short. "What about you?"

"Nothing actually. That's why I called."

"Of course! You only remember me when your bored!" Ray teased.

"Awe kiddo, do I really have to explain myself to you on this?" he said in a rather casual tone. "But I called because of a reason." he added

"What?" Ray asked sitting up.

"The board of directors want you to come and check progress of the research wing." he said.

Ray rolled her eyes. "Tony, you can do that too!" she exclaimed.

"Yeah, but that's your department." Tony shrugged. "Need to keep your position."

"I don't know why you even gave that department to me. I'm not even of age!" she complained. She was never one who was interested in working for the company. Atleast not now! "Nevermind, I'm sure you didn't call only because you needed to tell my about the Industry. "

"You know me so well, kiddo." he said in a sing-song tone. But then Ray heard him sigh. There was something that he had been trying to say. Ray felt it. "What is it?" she asked.

"Sharon called. Aunt Peggy wants to meet." he finally said drawing a deep breath.

"Ooh." Ray said realising why Tony was struggling to say it.

"I'll reach Massachusetts on Friday and we'll go meet her. Then you can comeback with me so that you can attend that meeting and then we can spend the weekend together." he offered.

"Sounds great!" she said. "When are you going to arrive?"

"Around 4:30." he replied.

"4:30" Ray repeated. "You're not going to keep me waiting at the airport right?" she asked, more like threatened.

He laughed softly. "No kiddo. I promise you that!"

TIME JUMP

Much to Ray's surprise, Tony did arrive at the time he promised. He was greeted with a tight hug from his sister. " Yeah, I missed you too." he said returning the hug.

They made their way to the car when Ray quickly grabbed the driving seat and looked at him with a sly smile.

"It hasn't even been two months you crashed your car." Tony pointed out.

"Oh come on! You know I drive better than you!" she insisted making Tony roll his eyes. But he let her drive anyways. He couldn't resist those puppy eyes anyways.

It was a usual drive with music playing, though softly because Tony barely trusted Ray while driving and knew music only got her distracted. They chatted about normal stuff with Tony shouting "Look at the road!" and "Watch the road when you're driving!" occasionally. But when the car pulled into the gravel side walk there was a sudden nervousness in the air. _Here we go!_ Both Starks echoed each other's thoughts.

Both of them walked into the building, past the corridor and stood in front of the door for a moment.

Ray watched Tony as he fixed his tie, a childhood habit he had been perusing whenever he met Peggy. She wasn't as uncomfortable as he was. To her, Peggy was the favourite aunt who would occasionally come over and tell her stories of war. But to Tony she was different. She had played a huge role in raising him up other than Maria and Jarvis. Not that he ever told her, but he looked up to her. "Stop staring." Tony said realising Ray had been staring at him for longer than enough. Ray only smiled softly before Tony went on to open the door.

The old lady was asleep on the bed with too many machines attached to her. They stood there for some time wondering weather they should wake her up or not. Finally it was Tony who made the move. "Aunt Peggy?" he softly called moving closer.

She moved on her bed and turned to look at them. "Tony? Ray? Is that you?" she asked.

"Yes." Tony said with a real smile on his face.

She smiled too as they approached her. "My god! My little genius and the Special Girl." she said warmly. Ray flinched. _Special Girl? What's the deal with everyone calling me special?_ She thought but then smiled back. "You both have grown up! And Tony, you have seem to taken that beard trend quite seriously!" she said petting him on his cheek. Tony laughed softly. He wouldn't dare to pull back. "Now tell me, how are you?" she asked.

"As good as possible." Ray replied.

"I bet you are." she said.

"I'm sorry we couldn't visit earlier." Tony said. "The schedule sucks!"

"Mind your language Anthony!" she said sounding serious.

"God! That stare still scares me!" Tony joked making her roll her eyes, laughing softly.

"Oh you wouldn't change!" she said. "And nevermind, I've seen you both. I know. I'm so proud of you. I'm sure your dad would be too."

Both the Starks stiffened at the mention of Howard. That was the main reason why they avoided coming to her.

"So, why did you call us Aunt Peggy?" Ray asked in an attempt to change the topic.

"Oh!" Peggy said facepalming herself. "How forgetful of me! Rayne, dear, will you please grab that box for me?" she asked pointing at her bed table. She did as she was told.

"Your dad asked me to give this to you." she said opening the box and taking out a key from it. "It's for you Ray." she said handing it to her.

"What is this?" she asked taking it from her hand.

"I don't know, darling. He said it's in your blood and that you'll figure it out when time comes."

"Nothing for me?" Tony asked raising his eyebrows.

"No, dear. That's all I got."

TIME JUMP

While returning Tony took the driving seat, more because Ray was lost in her thoughts. _In my blood!_ She thought. That was exactly what Howard had said in that video cassette.

"Your head's going to blow up if you think so much!" Tony said finding her silence awkward to stay in.

"Who said I'm thinking?" Ray said putting her leg up near the windscreen.

"You had been quiet for half an hour." Tony pointed out.

"I'm just tired Tone." she insisted.

Tony nodded deciding not to push her any further. "So, we're going home?" Tony asked changing the topic and trying to start a conversation.

"That's how we planned it!" she replied.

* * *

 **I'm so sorry for the delay in updating. I have so much going on at this moment**. **I just passed out from school and now** **I have to get admitted in college. So I'm a bit busy with admission stuff. But I'll be updating whenever I get time.**

 **ANYWAYS, YOU KNOW, I WROTE THIS FIC DOWN FIRST IN A DIARY WHEN I WAS 12. NOW I TYPE THIS MAKING A LOT OF ALTERATIONS AND THERE ARE A LOT STUFF THAT DO NOT MAKE IT TO THE FINAL CHAPTER. BUT I REALLY WISH THEY DID. SO I ENDED UP WRITING A SERIES OF ONE SHOTS. IF YOU READ THIS PLEASE GIVE THAT FIC A READ. ITS CALLED JUST THOSE SIBLING THINGS : RAY X TONY ONE SHOTS. I FEEL THIS I GOING TO HELP YOU UNDERSTAND THE RELATION BETWEEN THE STARK SIBLINGS MORE. PLEASE GIVE IT A COMMENT AND A HEART!**

 **ALSO I'M TAKING REQUESTS FOR WRITING MORE RAY X TONY ONE SHOTS. SO IF YOU WANT ANY ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS LEAVE A COMMENT AT THE END OF THE STORY JUST THOSE SIBLING THINGS : RAY X TONY ONE SHOTS. CLICK THE LINK!**

 **ImaginationsUnleashed**


	51. Chapter 51

**Guys, Just Those Sibling Things : Ray X Tony One-Shots is basically a part of this fic. So please go give it a read and a follow!**

* * *

"Pep!" Pepper was greeted by a tight hug from the teenager."Ray! How are you?" she said with equal warmth. But something in her voice hinted that something was wrong.

"Wow! So you're more excited to see your brother's girlfriend than you are to see him?" Tony joked. It came out flat. Not funny and Ray knew that there was something that she didn't know about.

"That's because she not a pain in the ass like you are." she replied though, before turning to Pepper. "What happened? What's wrong?"

Pepper was about to open her mouth to say something when Tony pooped in. "She doesn't know!" _Fuck!_ he mentally exclaimed.

"What do I not know?" Ray asked looking between the couple.

"Nothing Ray. Its absolutely nothing." Tony said trying to sound as insisting as possible.

Ray crossed her arms on her chest. _Who does he think he's lying to? He really thinks that he can hide stuff from me?_ She thought. "Even if it's nothing, tell me!" she insisted.

"Ray!" Tony exclaimed. _Why the fuck does she have to be so observant?_ "It's nothing that you should be bothered about." Tony managed to say. She could say, he looked tensed.

"So from 'nothing' it is now 'something I shouldn't be bothered about'?" Ray raised an eyebrow. "Come on Tony! I thought we did a 'no more secrets' promse!" She was tired of them!

Tony was about to remark something when Pepper butted in. "She needs to know this Tony." she had been insisting him on this for long. She turned to the teenager. "We've been attacked. Twice." she said. "And the reason why I'm telling you this is because I think you need to stay careful too. Not that you aren't safe, your brother is going to employ someone for your security, but I still think you should know." she completed.

"You had been attacked and I don't know about it?" she exclaimed. Of course she was annoyed. She had all right to know what was happening to them.

"You're studying Ray. I thought you shouldn't be bothered with such nonsense!" Tony explained. The reality though was different. Tony was aware of the fact that Ray had gone to MIT more because she wanted to distant herself from all these deaths and unpleasant situation. These were making her feel sick. She, at least for ones, wanted to feel normal. So did Tony. No wonder he blew up most of his suits. But from his experience, Tony knew, he could get rid of those suits, but getting rid of the anxiety was a tough job. And he knew his sister was suffering from the exact same problem. He had been noticing changes in her ever since he took the role of Iron Man. The fears that she so perfectly covered with her practiced smile was visible to him. He felt the charming teenager getting lost somewhere in that fear. Tony dreaded that. He didn't want to take away her childhood from her. _No! Never!_

"Shut up Tony! You're unbelievable!" she said sounding annoyed.

TIME SKIP

Later that day Ray and Tony sat in their lab analysing the bullets they were shot with. Special drilling tech. Ray mumbled. They went through the fucking bullet proof glass! Tony had been eyeing her every move, every expression, and from his understanding of his sister, he knew she was worried. They weren't some normal attackers. They were technologically quite advanced. It was a matter to worry about.

"You're going to the meeting tomorrow?" Tony asked trying to get Ray's mind off. She didn't need to be bothering herself with those bullets. He was enough to do that.

"Hmm..." Ray absent mindedly replied still staring at the scans of the bullets.

"Did you read those files?" Tony asked.

"Files? What files?" Ray asked. This time paying looking up to him.

"The files of the research wing!" Tony said.

"I have to read those?" she sounded shocked.

"Ray, you aren't paying attention to anything we're telling you, aren't you?"

Ray ran her fingers through her hair. _Pepper's gonna kill me if I don't complete reading them._ She thought.

"That's why I'm telling you not to be bothered by any of these stuff!" Tony said gesturing the whole of the lab.

Ray stopped for a moment to look a him. "Why do I feel like you're trying to shut me out of this?"

"Because I am!" Tony exclaimed. "Ray, you're a kid for God's sake. Live your life. All this is fucking you up!" he sounded worried. Of course he was!

Ray, now realizing what all that hiding and keeping secrets was about, rolled her eyes. "Tone, how can I ignore if something like this is happening around me?"

"You don't have to ignore..." Tony said before pausing for a moment, "just don't bother yourself with these. I can handle it. I can and will protect you both!"

Ray laughed softly and herself wondered if it was cynical or not. "It's not us that I'm bothered about."

No wonder. Just like Tony knew Ray, Ray knew Tony well too. She knew that if time comes, Tony would do anything to protect them, even if that is by risking himself. She dreaded that.

TIME JUMP

Because of Tony's persuasion, Ray was forced not to work on the bullets or anything related to the attacks. Much to Tony's astonishment, she agreed easily. Of course she knew that Tony was enough to work on it. Though mentally, she made up her mind to hack into the Stark database and Tony's personal files to get updates about the attacks. Presently, she was lying down on the lab floor on her chest digging her face in a fat book on quantum physics. She had to research as much as she could about the quantum realm before getting in contact with Hank Pym. She had also created a fake account on the internet that said "HACKER ON DEMAND" and made sure Pym gets to know about her. It was planned. Pym would surely hire her. Of course he needed someone to hack into Cross's database!

She though was invited to work with her dear brother and Bruce in the lab on Veronica. But she insisted that she had to study and was thus reading there on the lab floor, like she always had been doing since she was a kid for the past six hours.

It was around 2:30 at night when Tony looked away from his screens to the lab floor. He couldn't her though. It was because of his huge desk with was also piled up with file, files that Pepper wanted him to read, but he didn't. "Hey, kid, come have a look at this." he sounded excited. Veronica's interface was finally completely ready. "Ray?" he called again, this time gaining Bruce's attention.

"She's asleep Tony." Bruce said. He could see her from where he was sitting in front of a virtual screen.

Tony got up from his place to have a look at her. He laughed softly as he watched her sleep quite peacefully with her face on a fat physics book. **(A/n : This is so me!)** He remembered how she used to do the same when she was a kid. He though realised that he won't be able to carry her up to her room like before without waking her up. "Can't carry you anymore, fatty." he mumbled under his breath as he kneeled near her before slowly picking up her head and replacing the book with a cushion from the sofa and placing a blanket over her. He took a quick look at her book and it took him only a moment to realize that she wasn't just studying, she was researching. Her book was full lf handwritten notes around the corners of the pages and paper notes pinned at some pages where there was no more space to write. "Hey, Brucie, what do you think she's working on?" Tony asked showing him her book.

Bruce looked at the pages and strained his eyes. She didn't have the best handwriting in the world! Tony though was so used to seeing her handwriting that he could read it easily. "Some kind of shrinkinator?" Bruce concluded looking at Tony.

"Exactly!" Tony said quite excitedly.

"Why would she work on something like that?" Bruce asked.

"She does a lot of random stuff." Tony told him.

* * *

 **The next chapter is gonna be ant man. I'm not gonna write much here cause its late night here and I'm feeling sleepy.**

 **I need readers for my fic Kid Genius. Please give it a try!**

 **Good night!**

 **ImaginationsUnleashed**


	52. Chapter 52

**Guys, Just Those Sibling Things : Ray X Tony One-Shots is basically a part of this fic. So please go give it a read and a heart!**

* * *

"Pep!" Pepper was greeted by a tight hug from the teenager."Ray! How are you?" she said with equal warmth. But something in her voice hinted that something was wrong.

"Wow! So you're more excited to see your brother's girlfriend than you are to see him?" Tony joked. It came out flat. Not funny and Ray knew that there was something that she didn't know about.

"That's because she not a pain in the ass like you are." she replied though, before turning to Pepper. "What happened? What's wrong?"

Pepper was about to open her mouth to say something when Tony pooped in. "She doesn't know!" _Fuck!_ he mentally exclaimed.

"What do I not know?" Ray asked looking between the couple.

"Nothing Ray. Its absolutely nothing." Tony said trying to sound as insisting as possible.

Ray crossed her arms on her chest. _Who does he think he's lying to? He really thinks that he can hide stuff from me?_ She thought. "Even if it's nothing, tell me!" she insisted.

"Ray!" Tony exclaimed. _Why the fuck does she have to be so observant?_ "It's nothing that you should be bothered about." Tony managed to say. She could say, he looked tensed.

"So from 'nothing' it is now 'something I shouldn't be bothered about'?" Ray raised an eyebrow. "Come on Tony! I thought we did a 'no more secrets' promse!" She was tired of them!

Tony was about to remark something when Pepper butted in. "She needs to know this Tony." she had been insisting him on this for long. She turned to the teenager. "We've been attacked. Twice." she said. "And the reason why I'm telling you this is because I think you need to stay careful too. Not that you aren't safe, your brother is going to employ someone for your security, but I still think you should know." she completed.

"You had been attacked and I don't know about it?" she exclaimed. Of course she was annoyed. She had all right to know what was happening to them.

"You're studying Ray. I thought you shouldn't be bothered with such nonsense!" Tony explained. The reality though was different. Tony was aware of the fact that Ray had gone to MIT more because she wanted to distant herself from all these deaths and unpleasant situation. These were making her feel sick. She, at least for ones, wanted to feel normal. So did Tony. No wonder he blew up most of his suits. But from his experience, Tony knew, he could get rid of those suits, but getting rid of the anxiety was a tough job. And he knew his sister was suffering from the exact same problem. He had been noticing changes in her ever since he took the role of Iron Man. The fears that she so perfectly covered with her practiced smile was visible to him. He felt the charming teenager getting lost somewhere in that fear. Tony dreaded that. He didn't want to take away her childhood from her. _No! Never!_

"Shut up Tony! You're unbelievable!" she said sounding annoyed.

TIME SKIP

Later that day Ray and Tony sat in their lab analysing the bullets they were shot with. Special drilling tech. Ray mumbled. They went through the fucking bullet proof glass! Tony had been eyeing her every move, every expression, and from his understanding of his sister, he knew she was worried. They weren't some normal attackers. They were technologically quite advanced. It was a matter to worry about.

"You're going to the meeting tomorrow?" Tony asked trying to get Ray's mind off. She didn't need to be bothering herself with those bullets. He was enough to do that.

"Hmm..." Ray absent mindedly replied still staring at the scans of the bullets.

"Did you read those files?" Tony asked.

"Files? What files?" Ray asked. This time paying looking up to him.

"The files of the research wing!" Tony said.

"I have to read those?" she sounded shocked.

"Ray, you aren't paying attention to anything we're telling you, aren't you?"

Ray ran her fingers through her hair. _Pepper's gonna kill me if I don't complete reading them._ She thought.

"That's why I'm telling you not to be bothered by any of these stuff!" Tony said gesturing the whole of the lab.

Ray stopped for a moment to look a him. "Why do I feel like you're trying to shut me out of this?"

"Because I am!" Tony exclaimed. "Ray, you're a kid for God's sake. Live your life. All this is fucking you up!" he sounded worried. Of course he was!

Ray, now realizing what all that hiding and keeping secrets was about, rolled her eyes. "Tone, how can I ignore if something like this is happening around me?"

"You don't have to ignore..." Tony said before pausing for a moment, "just don't bother yourself with these. I can handle it. I can and will protect you both!"

Ray laughed softly and herself wondered if it was cynical or not. "It's not us that I'm bothered about."

No wonder. Just like Tony knew Ray, Ray knew Tony well too. She knew that if time comes, Tony would do anything to protect them, even if that is by risking himself. She dreaded that.

TIME JUMP

After attending the meeting both the Starks plus Banner were in the Stark Tower lab. Because of Tony's persuasion, Ray was forced not to work on the bullets or anything related to the attacks. Much to Tony's astonishment, she agreed easily. Of course she knew that Tony was enough to work on it. Though mentally, she made up her mind to hack into the Stark database and Tony's personal files to get updates about the attacks. Presently, she was lying down on the lab floor on her chest digging her face in a fat book on quantum physics. She had to research as much as she could about the quantum realm before getting in contact with Hank Pym. She had also created a fake account on the internet that said "HACKER ON DEMAND" and made sure Pym gets to know about her. It was planned. Pym would surely hire her. Of course he needed someone to hack into Cross's database!

She though was invited to work with her dear brother and Bruce in the lab on Veronica. But she insisted that she had to study and was thus reading there on the lab floor, like she always had been doing since she was a kid for the past six hours.

It was around 2:30 at night when Tony looked away from his screens to the lab floor. He couldn't her though. It was because of his huge desk with was also piled up with file, files that Pepper wanted him to read, but he didn't. "Hey, kid, come have a look at this." he sounded excited. Veronica's interface was finally completely ready. "Ray?" he called again, this time gaining Bruce's attention.

"She's asleep Tony." Bruce said. He could see her from where he was sitting in front of a virtual screen.

Tony got up from his place to have a look at her. He laughed softly as he watched her sleep quite peacefully with her face on a fat physics book. **(A/n : This is so me!)** He remembered how she used to do the same when she was a kid. He though realised that he won't be able to carry her up to her room like before without waking her up. "Can't carry you anymore, fatty." he mumbled under his breath as he kneeled near her before slowly picking up her head and replacing the book with a cushion from the sofa and placing a blanket over her. He took a quick look at her book and it took him only a moment to realize that she wasn't just studying, she was researching. Her book was full of handwritten notes around the corners of the pages and paper notes pinned at some pages where there was no more space to write. "Hey, Brucie, what do you think she's working on?" Tony asked showing him her book.

Bruce looked at the pages and strained his eyes. She didn't have the best handwriting in the world! Tony though was so used to seeing her handwriting that he could read it easily. "Some kind of shrinkinator?" Bruce concluded looking at Tony.

"Exactly!" Tony said quite excitedly.

"Why would she work on something like that?" Bruce asked.

"She does a lot of random stuff." Tony told him.

* * *

 **The next chapter is gonna be ant man. I'm not gonna write much here cause its late night here and I'm feeling sleepy.**

 **I need readers for my fic Kid Genius. Please give it a try!**

 **Good night!**

 **ImaginationsUnleashed**


	53. Chapter 53

**I know I said this chapter is going to be ant-man, I have to add a few more chaps between.**

* * *

Ray had gone back to Massachusetts after making a thousand promises to Tony which included no going out late at night, no going out without informing the bodyguard, always having the suit charged no matter what! MIT won't give a power supply as powerful as Stark Tower so she had to make sure the suit gets properly charged. God, Tony wad worried about these frequent attacks. He almost wanted Ray to not go back!

Ray sighed as she watched the bodyguard follow her to the Captain America exhibition. Luckily Tony had made sure to make it less awkward for her. He had told him to stay at least a foot behind her so that it looked as if he wasn't with her and told him to wear casual clothes.

"Why are we here? And why are you wearing this t-shirt?" Ray groaned pointing at Clara's Captain America t-shirt. She and her other friends had dragged her to the exhibition with her other friends because they thought 'taking Valkyre to Captain America exhibition was cool'.

"Come one Ray! You knew I always thought the Captain is hot!" Clara said chirpily.

Ray rolled her eyes.

"Don't worry Ray. Women avengers aren't underrated either!" James popped in the conversation making Ray look at him. "I mean...the Black Widow, after all, is quite hot too!" he added making Ray roll her eyes. "Come on guys! Stop playing with me!" she said making the others laugh.

Ray was dragged into the crowd by James and Clara, almost tripping her cap of disguise off. It was when they stood at the gift shop when she sneaked out to wonder on her own. She walked for sometime before standing in front of a huge banner that read 'Peggy Carter section'. She stared at the huge picture of Peggy Carter flipping the key in her hand when she heard a very familiar voice call. "Ray?" she turned around to find Steve standing behind her.

"Steve!" she exclaimed not expecting to see him.

"What are you doing here?" he asked.

"Umm..." she trailed looking around to see if she could see her friends. "My friends dragged me here." She explained as Steve nodded. "What about you?" she asked.

"Old memories" he said in short looking at Peggy's picture.

"Old man misses his younger times!" Ray laughed softly while Steve only smiled. "You should try to get into something."

"Like what?" Steve asked.

"Get into a relationship. Ask a girl out. I'm sure there will be a lot of girls who would want to hang out with Captain America." she said as they walked into the Peggy Carter section of the exhibition.

"Yeah, you bet." Steve nodded. "But I would prefer someone who would like to hang out with Steve Grant Rodgers instead."

"Steve Grant Rodgers without the super soldier serum?" Ray asked and Steve nodded again. Ray rolled her eyes and gave a disapproving sly smile making Steve shrug his shoulders. He really did want someone like that! "Sorry Cap, but no woman would want to date a chicken legged Mr. Anorexics" she giggled.

Steve frowned. _How the hell does she come up with these nick names?_ He thought before looking up at the picture of him, Peggy, Bucky and his other army comrades. "But there was one who did." He said.

"Sergeant James 'Bucky' Barnes!" Ray exclaimed with an evil grin on her face making Steve look at her in confusion. He had absolutely no idea what she was talking about! Ray, realizing the fact continued to tease him. "Bucky was and is your only love. I knew you were gay!" she said giggling all the time. "The internet theories were indeed right!"

Steve flinced. "What?" he said confused a first and then when he realized what she had just said, he exclaimed, "I'm not!"

"Come on Stevie! There's no use hiding your love for your old time pal!" she elbowed him earning a friendly glare from him.

"You know very well I wasn't talking about him." He said in a low tone.

"Yeah, yeah!" she said looking back at the picture.

"Peggy was the most fierce and adorable woman I ever met..." Steve trailed.

"Yeah..." Ray said, "Aunt Peggy's different. She always saw through people, and found the good in them. But she's an exception. You won't find anyone like her!" she said. _Woah! I sound like a typical Peggy Carter fangirl._ She thought to herself.

"Hmm...I guess you're right." Steve said lost in some thought before he snapped out of it again to look at Ray. "You knew her?" he asked. "And why is she Aunt Peggy?" Ray could feel the astonishment in his voice.

"Hello Steve, I'm Rayne Emily Stark, the daughter of Howard Stark , if you weren't aware of that!" she said.

"Hmm..." Steve said. he wondered how the fact that Ray and Tony could know Peggy come up to him before. "...But you sound like you were close to her." He asked.

"Yeah, pretty much." She said as she smiled at Steve. "After mom and dad's accident she was kind of a regular visitor at home." She explained. Steve nodded. _Of course Peggy was the person who came up to give the Starks some support when they needed it the most!_

"So you were close to her?" he asked.

"Yeah...kind of!" she replied.

There was silence for some time with both Steve and Ray thinking when Steve broke it again. "I just wish she was here to give me the support that she ones gave you." he almost whispered.

"What?" was Ray's first reaction, "Aunt Peggy isn't dead!"

"What?!" this was Steve's turn to be shocked.

"She's alive!"

TIME JUMP

Soon after Ray told Steve about Peggy, they were out in a cab to Peggy hospital. Ray couldn't believe that Steve wasn't aware of the fact that Peggy was alive! _How did nobody tell him before?_ She thought. "Yeah, Clara, I remembered that I have some work so I left. You guys can go by yourself." She had told Clara who was totally disappointed by the fact that Ray had left them alone and had hung up the phone with an angry, "Do whatever the fuck you want!" Ray sighed. She had to make up with her. In her few months at MIT, she had grown quite close to this girl.

Half way through the drive Steve exclaimed "wait!" he looked back. "Someone's following us." He said.

"Aah, don't worry..." Ray said, "...that's just my bodyguard."

"Valkyre needs a bodyguard?" Steve had asked.

"There had been frequent attacks. Tony just wanted to make sure that someone is watching over me when he isn't there and I'm distracted."

"hmm..." Steve had nodded.

TIME JUMP

Steve felt his throat get drier and drier as he watched Ray enter the hospital room as he waited there for her to wake Peggy up.

"Aunt Peggy?" she called walking up to her.

"Ray? Darling what are you doing here?" she asked quite shocked at the unexpected appearance.

"I bought someone who wanted to meet you." she said with a smile.

Peggy flinched. "Sharon?" she asked as Ray swayed her head to a simple 'no'. "Come in." She said as Steve opened the door. "Hey Peggy..." he said trying hard to smile, but damn he was feeling an urge to let all his emotions out.

"Steve?" Peggy eyes went wide in shock. "Is that you?" she asked.

"It's me Peg."

Peggy turned at Ray in disbelief. "You bought him?"

"Yeah." Ray said as she got up letting Steve sit on the chair. She watched them for a moment before turning to walk out. "Ray!" Steve called. "You're waiting outside, are you?" he asked.

"Of course, Steve..." she said, "as amusing as it would be, I don't wanna watch my old aunt and grandpa capsicle make out." She said with a wide grin on her face, making Steve blush a deep share of red in embarrassment while Peggy only laughed at her joke. "You're not getting away with that, you little darling!" she said making Ray giggle. This was one of the reasons she loved Peggy so much! She was so up-to-date, unlike Steve! Again, it wasn't his fault that he had to spend 72years of his life frozen as capsule. "Yes, Aunt Peggy." She said walking out feeling very happy and contended with herself. The look on Steve and Peggy's face was priceless!

* * *

 **So it 1 o'clock here when I finished writing this. I just wanna let you all know that since I have started college now, I don't get enough time to write. I only write when I am on the way to college or when I have an off period in college and sometimes at night when I feel like. So maybe the frequency of updates may decrease. But I assure you all that no matter what, I'll update all my fics as early as possible.**

 **I'll update either Infinity was rants or psychosis next day.**

 **Till then, bye!**

 **And good night!**

 **ImaginationsUnleashed**


	54. Chapter 54

**I'm soooooo sorry guys for not updating my fics for so long. I had been so confused was feeling so unimaginative is the past few days. But I'm back now and I'm going to update all my fics soon. So stick to me.**

 **Btw someone threatened to unfollow me on Instagram for making and uploading pics like that?**

* * *

Ray owed an apology to Clara for leaving her alone in the Captain America exhibition. She was so mad and had been screaming on her through the phone. "Clara, sorry okay? I know you're angry. But you know I was getting bored there. Calm down!" Steve heard her say as he drove the car this time. Finally he watched her sigh before cutting the phone line.

"Thanks Ray, I really owe you." he said smiling at her.

"Nah! 's okay Steve" she said resting her head back on the seat looking out of the window. She stayed there like that before suddenly something struck her and she shot up. "Actually," she said gaining back Steve's attension, "you can do something for me."

"What?" Steve asked.

TIME JUMP

Steve didn't know what exactly he had done to deserve it. He was sitting in the café near Ray's hostel with Ray and her friend Clara who was right now sticking to him and taking numerous pics with him making different faces and asking him to make faces too. "I am your biggest fan!" she had exclaimed so loudly that almost everyone in the MIT compound were staring at them.

"Ray, you can have all my food, all my stuff for doing this for me!" she said chirpily.

"I don't want it." Ray rolled her eyes. _Seriously, what was the big deal?!_

Ray sipped her coffee and looked at Steve who was now giving her a 'why-did-you-do-this-to-me' smile. She laughed. Clara had always been a huge fangirl.

Though not really understanding why Clara was so excited, Ray was happy that Clara wasn't that angry on her anymore. She had become a very close friend of hers. It has been years that Ray had grown so close to someone and nevertheless, she was happy to make her happy. Coming to MIT was a good idea afterall!

It was sometime later when Ray had finished her coffee, checking the online hacking website where Pym would hire her when she suddenly felt her ears hurt, a really loud sound bursting her ears. She flinched trying to understand what sound it was and grabbed her ears in pain. It was louder than anything she had experienced eversince she had got powers of hearing sounds beyond decibels.

"Ray?" Steve called realizing something was wrong.

"A missile" she said and moments later the place was turned into debris by a missile hitting the place. Ray felt someone hastily pull her by her arm before everything blacked out.

TIME SKIP

AT CALIFORNIA, STARK MANSION

"Sir, I think you must see this." JARVIS said as he turned on the TV placed on the wall opposite to Tony's desk. A news channel tuned in.

 _A massive explosion took place in Massachusetts in Walkway Café near MIT a few moments ago when a huge missile was shot. As you can see the whole area has been turned to debris and there has been a lot of casualties. The police are still trying to get as many people out as possible but still..._ the reporter went on.

"JARVIS, is this the one where Ray sits with her friends?" Tony asked clearly panicking.

"I'm afraid it is sir." came a reply and Tony didn't have jumped to grab his phone, JARVIS had already dialled Ray's number. It rang a few times before diverting to the voice mail. "Try again." Tony said as the AI obeyed, but no use. He even tried dialling Clara's number but she didn't pick up either.

"Sir, the suit has been booted." JARVIS said as Tony hurried. It won't take him more than 30mins to reach Massachusetts in his suit. "JARVIS, inform Pepper"

TIME SKIP

Tony was half way when he heard his phone ring. It was Steve. "Cap I'm busy right..." he was about to say but Steve cut him off. "Tony,.I know, I was there."

"What?" Tony exclaimed. "Tell me properly!" he exclaimed.

"I don't know. I was there, with Ray and then suddenly there was a missile. And the place blasted." he said in one breath.

 _Was Captain America panicking?!_ Tony wondered for ones. _Yep, he pretty sure was._ he concluded. He wasn't the one to panic because he was targeted by a missile, was he? "Where's Ray?" Tony asked and when he heard him sigh he knew why Steve was panicking. "Cap?!" Tony snapped.

"She's in the hospital. Her ears are bleeding and she's unconscious." he said.

"Thought so..." Steve heard Tony mumble before he added. "I'll be there in sometime."

* * *

 **Like I've said before, I use my activity section in quotev to write headcanons and text posts. If you have time please go and give it a read.**

 **Link : Account Link**

 **ImaginationsUnleashed**


	55. Chapter 55

**I tried to draw Ray, ended up drawing a really wild looking woman with a spanner in her hand. That's my problem when I'm sketching. I end up proceeding without even thinking rather than drawing what I had been imagining. I assure you she looks nothing like what I imagine her to be. So I'm going for another attempt to draw her. Wish me luck!**

 **Also, if you think I had been using my pencil too much in a few area, then you're right. Just I bad habbit I couldn't get rid of!**

 **Anyways, I'm going to proceed with the chapter.**

* * *

"Tony, you need to calm down." Steve said. "God, you should have bought Pepper with you!"

"How am I supposed to calm down. That's my sister on the bed!" Tony exclaimed throwing both his arms in frustration. Ray was bleeding through her ears and had high stress symptoms and possibly her migrane was now worse. Not that he expected otherwise. This was exactly what happened last time! But the fact that someone had dropped a bomb on his sister was getting him worried.

"Tony, the doctor said she going to get better." Steve tried to calm him.

"Yeah..." his voice almost cracked. No! He couldn't have a panic attack. Not in front of Steve! But fuck these attackers were getting out of hand! He stood with his back against the wall sighing quite loudly. _Why the fuck is this happening?_

 _"_ Tony?" Steve called afrer sometime. He looked stiffened. _Seriouly? Captain America getting nervous?_ Tony would have craked if this wasn't the situation. "I pulled her out. But I couldn't get the other girl, her friend, Clara."

"Clara?!" Tony exclaimed.

"I couldn't have got both. I had to choose." Steve repeated. "Were they close?"

"Yeah, pretty much." Tony sighed.

TIME JUMP

Steve had received a call from Nick Fury and had left and Pepper, knowing quite well that Tony needed someone around had arrived. Tony right now was sitting on Ray's bedside scrolling through his Stark phone when he noticed Ray move. She mumble something incoherent. "Ray? Kiddo?" Tony called lightly placing his hand on her's.

"Tony?" she asked flinching because of the bright light of the room. Her head was hurting.

"Yup. Its me." Tony said finally drawing a breath of relief to see her awake.

"What happened?" she weakly asked.

"They bombed you." Tony said in short.

"Umm..." Ray said remembering the blast.

"How are you feeling?"

"Sick" she said honestly. She was feeling steadier already. "Where the fuck was that bodyguard? And how did they know I was there when I was in complete disguise?"

Tony sighed. "Well, that mother fucker turned out to be a traitor."

"Ooh" Ray said not even shocked at hearing that before she laughed weakly at Tony.

"What's funny?" Tony asked not really understanding how could someone with migrane shooting laugh!

"You suck at security stuff. Bring back Happy."

It was Tony's turn to laugh too. Happy would always double check, and sometimes even triple check when appointing a new guard. And normally he never let any of them go out with some outside guard. "Yeah, hesy getting well soon." Tony said. He needed Happy! And honestly, he missed him.

Ray smiled at him reassuringly that she was fine though her head was pounding and then turned to the other direction and closed her eyes.

"Do you want me to shut the lights off?" Tony asked realising that it was the light that wad disturbing her.

"That would be very thoughtful of you." Ray acknowledged him for understanding her problems without even telling him.

"Okay, " Tony got up and placed a peck on her cheek, "I'll go talk to the doc, okay?"

He was about to walk out when Ray called him back. "Tony!" Tony turned from the door giving her a questioning glance. "Where's Clara? She's fine, right?"

 _Fuck!_ That was the question he didn't want her to ask! "Ray..." he trailed as Ray raised her eyebrows. "Tone?" she said in a worried voice. "Please just tell me." she sat up. She sounded do mature, so under-controled that Tony almost thought that he was talking to an adult and not his 15 year old sister.

He grabbed her hand and rubbed his thumb on her palms in circles just so that she could have a sense of touch. "I'm sorry kiddo."

"Sorry?" Ray said in an irritated voice. "Tell me properly!" she snapped.

"Ray, Cap pulled you out. He couldn't get her." he said mentally cursing himself for being so direct.

"wHat?" her expression completely changed. The calm look was gone and she looked scared, like a 15 year old kid she was."But..." her eyes teared up and her face paled.

"Calm down..." Tony quickly pulled her into a hug as he felt her palms go cold and shiver as she desperately tried to stop the tears from flowing. Tony on the other hansd could not find words to comfort her. What could hw have possibly said. _Everything's going to be fine?_ Or maybe, _its okay?_ So he rather chose to keep quiet while rubbing his hand on her back in circles cradling her like a baby and placing a kiss somewhere in her hair while saying just one thing. "I'm here"

TIME JUMP

Ray was discharged a day after that and instead of sending her back to MIT Tony decided it was better to take her back home for sometime. Of course she wouldn't feel good staying alone in a room that belonged to her and her dead room mate. He had to make arrangements and make sure she had a new roomie when she came back to keep her company. So, instead of mailing to the dean of MIT, Tony had gone to meet him personally in his office.

FLASHBACK

"Mr. Stark! Please take a seat." he had said feeling quite excited to be in the presence of the billionaire genius.

"My sister won't be attending quite a few lectures. My PA has mailed you her medical certificates." Tony told him.

"Yes, but I don't understand, why did you have to come here for that. You could have mentioned this in the mail itself."

"Actually..." Tony straighten up pulling up a calm attitude, "...I have a request to make." he told the middle aged man.

"We're at your service." he said sounding too formal.

Tony shrugged off the thought. He never did care about how people talked! "I need you to give my sister a new roomie. I don't want her to be alone when she returns."

"Of course!" he said "...there's a girl who has mo roomie either. I shall shift her to Ms. Stark's room." he said.

"Actually," Tony said, "...shift Ray to the other girl's room." he said. Maybe staying in a seperate room would make her more comfortable.

"As you wish." the dean said with a weird smirk on his face. Tony flinched. "What was that for?" he asked not really understanding why he would smirk like that.

"Nothing just..." the dean shrugged "...the Valkyre is scared like a kid?" he smirked again.

Tony was actually shocked at his comment. _This is what they thought they were? Just because Ray is an avenger doesn't possibly have to mean that she has to be hard hearted and used to death!_ Tony glared at him. "She is a kid" Tony said in an obvious tone with a look that told him that her was going beyond his limits. The dean backed off.

* * *

 **So here is the new chapter. As I said that I already have started college and I hardly have time now. So I have decided that I am going to update one fic each week, with exceptions of course, like I may uldate two fics in the same week if I have a holiday or I just feel like**

 **I'm stuck at 30 hearts in my non-fiction INFINITY WAR RANTS though I have a considerable amount of positive feedbacks for it! Here I talk about character and plot analysis and critical analyses and I had been critically analyzing every character in the movie and tracing their journey through the ten years. It would mean a lot to me if you guys give it a try and heart it to help me reach at least 50 hearts! Click the link : INFINITY WAR RANTS**

 **Stay tuned for the next uodate! It's going to come soon!**

 **ImaginationsUnleashed**


	56. Chapter 56

**I'm going to rush a bit in this chapter so that I can start writing the interesting part from the next one. Hope you enjoy it!**

Ray was back at MIT after spending some time back at Malibu with Tony and Pepper. She didn't feel like going back to though. It brought back the guilt that her best friend died because of some bomb that was dropped for her. But she couldn't stay back for ever. So after a little persuasion from Tony, she was here.

Also, she had to take care of that Hank Pym case. She was kinda glad that Fury gave that to her 'cause it helped her keep her mind off and concentrate.

Today, she was supposed to meet Pym. She was called near a bus stop from where a car would pick her up. She stood there waiting for sometime before a black Mercedes stopped in front of him and then the window glass opened to reveal an old man, almost the same age as Howard would have been if he was alive. " , I suppose?" she asked leaning to see through the window.

"Dr. Pym" he corrected. "And you are...?"

"Emily" she stuck to her middle name.

"Hop in" he said and Ray did so. "So Emily...what?" he asked. Of course he wanted o make sure she wasn't someone from SHIELD!

"I like keeping that confidential." She said.

Pym raised an eyebrow. "I am a hacker. I don't like revealing my identity." She replied. "It's safer that way."

Pym nodded and drove her to his residence. "Nice place, Dr. Pym" she had commented just to lok interested. Basically she had given them the identity of an MIT student who was doing her PhD in Computer Engineering and Software development. Her website that said 'HACKER ON DEMAND' looked very real and Fury had also made sure to pay a few people who would assure Ray had worked as a hacker for them so that there would be no doubt that Ray wasn't related to SHIELD.

Scott looked like a good guy. Though he had a criminal background, Ray was quite sure he was good at heart and didn't mean any bad. He was here because he wanted to undo everything wrong he did so that his ex wife would let him spend time with his daughter.

Hope, Pym's daughter though looked unhappy about hiring Ray and Scott in the first place. She worked for Darren Cross and wasn't in good terms with Hank but when she realised how close Cross was to make the Pym Particle, she came back to him. She wanted to use the ant man suit herself and take down Cross but Pym refused. That resulted in internal conflicts.

It had been a few weeks of working with them and Ray and Scott were already becoming friendly, but not Hank and Hope. They were still talking in formal terms to her. And they had made sure not to disclose anything about Pym Particle to her. She did of agreed with Pym's decision of not bringing the tech out to the world. It could bring devastation on the world. That the very same reason why they stopped their weapons business in the first place! But this was not working for Ray. If she had to make sure that the Pym Particle doesn't reach the wrong hands, she has to gain Hank's trust.

On one such day when Pym asked her to gain access to Crosses data base, Ray refused.

"Why wouldn't you?" Hank had asked.

"Because I don't know why I'm doing this." she replied.

"What do you mean, Miss Emily?" he asked.

"You know exactly what!" she replied gaining attention of everyone else in the room.

"Miss. Emily, listen, you do whatever I ask you to and you get your payment." He said making Ray roll her eyes. "Money isn't my life line. I don't do any work unless I am sure that whatever I'm doing is the right thing to do." She made it quite clear.

"I assure you, we are the good people here." He said again.

"I don't want an assurance, I want proof Dr. Pym!" she was stern on her point.

Both Hank and Hope looked at each other for a moment. It took them sometime before Hank spoke up again. "Alright..." he began, "Emily, I'm sorry we kept this away from you, but I had no other choice." He said as Ray stood there with her arms crossed on her chest. "You see, before I was the CEO of Pym tech, I was a part of a secret agency, have you heard of SHIELD?"

 _Now he's coming to the point!_ Ray mentally exclaimed. "Yup" she said.

"I used to be a high official there. During my research days I made this particle called the Pym Particle." He switched the computer screen to show his research. Ray stared at the data in front of her for sometime before Pym broke her out of her trance. "You're at MIT. What do you think about it?" He asked.

"Science fiction." She commented. That really was her first reaction when she read Fury's files.

Pym laughed sounding quite proud of his work make Ray mentally roll her eyes. "Indeed, that's the kind of answer I expected." He said. "But it's not." He added.

"After I left SHIELD, I started Pym Corporation and I met Darren Cross, the present CEO. He was gifted. He was special. I had seen that in him." He said. "But then he seemed to be obsessed with my research on Pym Particle. He kept on insisting me to tell him about my research but I couldn't afford to let it go in the wrong hands. I refused and he filed cases and threw me out of my own company." He said.

"Darren has been working on replicating the Pym Particle and he is very close. We can't afford it." Hope spoke up.

"He's going to sell the Pym Particle to Hydra, a terrorist agency and if we don't stop him, there would be chaos all around." Hank said.

Ray nodded. "So why don't we call the Avengers?" She asked. Damn it was worth the shot!

"No!" Hank exclaimed. "I don't trust SHILED" he hissed.

"But why?!" Ray asked sounding pretty amused by his reaction. "They are the ones who saved the world quite a few times!" she pointed out.

"SHIELD is nothing but a bunch of knuckle heads working together." he said making both Scott and Ray flinch.

"Seriously?" Scott asked but was ignored by Hank.

"Is it SHIELD, or you have some rivalry, some stupid ego that's stopping you to take help from them when it is practically the best way for us?" she asked. For ones she felt angry. They had been fucking working hard to make sure Earth as safe and here he was claiming that SHIELD was nonsense!

"I don't feel the need to answer that question of yours."

"Well, then I feel the need to take proper action against you, just in case you're not doing what you're claiming you are!" This was a risk. But she had to take the risk if she wanted information.

Hank sighed. "I can't let you do that!" he said standing straight and staring into her eyes.

Ray went defensive. "So tell me Hank, why don't you trust SHIELD? Who are you so scared off?"

Hank laughed and Ray knew pretty well it was because she used the word 'scared'. "Why do you wanna know it?" he asked.

"I'm doing the math. Can't solve the equation unless I have all the variables" she said crossing her arms on her chest making it quite clear that she wouldn't change her mind.

Hank looked at Hope for a moment before turning back to Ray and giving out a huge sigh. "Howard Stark" he finally said making Ray flinch. _Seriously? The guy had been dead for years now and she doubted if there was any way he could resurrect._ "He was the first who ever tried to replicate my work." he said putting emphasis on the word 'my'. Ray raised an eyebrow. "I never told that to him, but the motherfucking bastard was too close to doing it. If I hadn't found out about it that day, he would have possibly done it." he said. Ray mentally smirked. _The motherfucking bastard was too close to doing it._ Of course he was! After all, he's a Stark. "But he's dead" Ray said.

"So what?!" he said. "You think the other Starks can be trusted?" he said making her flinch again. "It's in their blood. The Stark family has never thought anything other than making weapons and blowing things off. If they get their hands on this technology, there can be consequences." he said this time successfully pissing Ray off. She was about to lose her cool but then something stopped her. _No I can't risk this mission._ She mentally said. _Fuck you Fury for getting me into this!_ "That man created those weapons and handed them to the US government never for ones thinking about the consequences!" he went on. "And his kids, take the first born, he gave away his company to his personal assistant so that he could relax and drink himself to death"

"The woman he loves" Ray corrected.

Hank only rolled his eyes and continued. "And his daughter. I had seen the new born kid. Howard was so cruel to her." he said making Ray flinch. _What? "_ I mean, what kind of a father uses his own blood as a lab rat?"

"Lab Rat?" Ray asked, too shocked and confused to react properly.

"Yeah, the Special project. But I left SHIELD before it started so I hardly knew about it."

"You know nothing?!" Ray exclaimed this time making Hank flinch.

"No I don't. Why do you seem so excited about it?" he asked making Ray realize that she had been now carried away by her emotions. "I...I was just..." she stumbled with words. "Just interested, you know, celebrity life, who doesn't link it?" she said exactly what she hated the press reporters say.

"Never mind" Hank said. "I've told you everything. Now tell me, will you help us?" he asked. Ray nodded.

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 **There's chapter 55 for you all. I hope you guys liked it. Ik I'm messing up with the MCU timeline, but this will helpmy story make more sense. So...**

 **Anyways, I started writing a new fic called 'The Lie Detector Test : Tony's Story'. This fic is about the time when Tony has to sit on a lie detector and answer a few really personal questions that the psychological analyzers ask** **him. The best part is, you can write questions and comment them down in the comment section for Tony to answer them. Its a pretty fun thing to write and right now I'm waiting for you all to comment more questions. Click on the link. Give it a try. Comment and follow cause they turn me up! ;)**

 **It's a sequel to 'The Lie Detector Test : Ray's Story which is about Ray's lie detector test. If you haven't read it yet, please give it a try! And a follow!**


	57. Chapter 57

**Alright guys I needed a break from writing this that's why it took so long to update. But now I'm back I won't take too much of your time just jump into the chapter. Enjoy!**

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Staying with the Pyms was exhausting. These guys seemed to be obsessed with ants, special Hope and Hank. In a week she had become knowledgeable enough to write a whole documentary on ants. These people by mad! Hank even had cat sized ant kept as a pet. In fact one day during the training Hope had called a few you ants and so many bullet ants had gathered on the floor that Ray jump up to pick up her legs on the chair. "Afraid of a few ants?" Hope had raised an eyebrow.

"I'm not exactly find of them." Ray had replied. Scott though was better and Ray found herself getting quite friendly with Scott.

One day while Ray was busy on her laptop Scott cane up to her "So Tony Stark, hunh?"he said.

"What?" She asked.

" Tony Stark is the reason you're doing it, isn't it?" He asked.

Ray flinched. _What is he talking about?!_ "I...I don't understand." Sounding a bit nervous. _Did he just found out mai actual identity?_

"You defended Tony Stark when Pym said he can't be trusted. You seem to be a big fan of him." He said. "That's why you doing this? Because he saves your ass sometime back and you want to be like him?"

"yeah..." Ray shrugged. It wasn't entirely wrong and what else could she have said? She needed an excuse after all!

"He seems to be a good guy." Scott said taking a seat in front of her across the table.

"You sound like you know him." Ray raised an eyebrow.

"Well that guy literally flew into that Wormhole with that nuke on him not even once thinking about his own life. He has to be a good man." Scott said. " don't listen to Hank. He seems to have something personal with the Starks"

"Yeah" Ray nodded.

Hank and Hope did not seen to agree to each other. Hope was never happy about bringing in Scott. Wanted to use the ant Man suit herself and defeat Darren. One day during one of the arguments Hope worked out angrily why Scott followed her. Ray sat there for sometime before speaking up. "You should tell her, you know?" She said making Hank look at her.

"What?" Hank asked.

"You should tell her how her mother died."

"She died in a plane crash." Hank said making Ray roll her eyes.

"Come on Hank. Even we know it's not the truth and you think she doesn't realise that?!"

Ray watched as Hank sighed and took a deep breath. "It's hard to tell her about it."

"She's her mum. She deserves to know." Ray said. "I know I shouldn't be the one to break this to you but she's not a kid. She knows how to handle herself." She added as Hope walked back in again.

Hank stiffened before finally speaking up. "Your mother convinced me to let her join me on my missions." He said. "They called her the Wasp. She was born to it. And there has not been a day I regret saying yes." He deeply sighed while Ray and Scott awkwardly stood there between the father-daughter duo. "It was 1987. Separatists had hijacked a Soviet missile silo in Kursk and launched it at ICBM at US. The only way to the internal machinery was the solid titanium. I knew I had to shrink through the molecules to disarm the missile but my regulator had sustained too much damage. Your mother, she didn't hesitate. She turned off her regulator and went subatomic. She died a hero and I spent the next 10 years trying to learn all I could about the the quantum realm."

"You were trying to bring her back." Hope said while in tears. "She made her choice. It was not your fault."

"I tried to protect you. I didn't want to lose you the way I lost your mother."

"This...This is awesome. You guys are breaking the walls. You guys are healing." Scott said butting in their conversation making everyone else in the room flinch at him. "And I ruined the moment." He sighed looking at them and then at Ray.

"You pretty well did." Ray agreed.

"I'm gonna make some tea." He said walking out.

"And I'll just take a walk." Ray said before walking out too. She felt a pang in her chest, a sudden pang. She flinched. _Was she jealous? Jealous for something she never had?_

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 **Sorry I rushed this. I just wanted to get done with this soon and get back to my plot but all this is just important. You're surely going to love it when I reach that part**

 **Anyways, please leave a comment about how you like it.**

 **ImaginationsUnleashed**


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